Largest HIPAA Settlement to Date – Anthem Pays Millions After Cyber Attack
In the largest HIPAA settlement to date, Anthem Inc., a division of Blue Cross Blue Shield, will pay the Office of Civil Rights $16 million. This settlement is a response to the breach of almost 79 million people’s protected health information. Cyber attackers gained...
HIPAA and Cloud Computing
On October 7, 2016, HHS released a guidance on HIPAA and cloud computing.¹ As the use of cloud computing continues to grow, it is important for HIPAA covered entities and their Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) to understand how they can use cloud computing while still...
How to Dispose of Electronic Devices if You Are Dealing With Electronic Protected Health Information
People get rid of electronic devices all the time. There’s always a newer, stronger, more sophisticated version of your laptop, smartphone, or tablet. If you’re dealing with PHI (protected health information), however, you must ensure that each and every electronic...
Three Boston Hospitals Pay HIPAA Fines
In early September 2018, three Boston hospitals, Brigham Women’s Hospital, Boston Medical Center, and Massachusetts General Hospital, collectively paid $999,000 in a settlement for potential HIPAA violations. The fines were imposed by the Department of Health and...
Block Hackers with HIPAA Training
HIPAA Rules require that your organization provide training to employees on privacy and security awareness. Employees should know about the law as well as your organization’s specific policies and procedures. Reminding employees of rules and regulations through HIPAA...
WARNING: Your Fax Machine Could be Used to Hack You!
American businesses have used fax machines to transmit images via telephone lines since the late 1980s. Now, almost forty years later, many organizations are still relying on these workhorses to do business. As of 2015, about 46.3 million fax machines were still in...
How a VPN Can Help with HIPAA Compliance
Jason Karn, Chief Compliance Officer at Total HIPAA, recently discussed the importance of a VPN for groups that need to be HIPAA compliant with Karen Mesoznik, Head of Marketing Communications and PR, for Perimeter 81. Jason and Karen discuss: How a VPN can protect...