HIPAA Compliance?

[kjw1231]

Hey,

Just wondering how offices are dealing with HIPAA compliance. I have seen a few fines levied against offices for non-compliance, especially when a new patient enters the office. Specifically, not signing a non- disclosure form.

Are you ready? If not, could your office pay the $10,000+ fine?

What other HIPAA issues are out there?

[gilweber]

kjw1231 said:
Hey,

Just wondering how offices are dealing with HIPAA compliance. I have seen a few fines levied against offices for non-compliance, especially when a new patient enters the office. Specifically, not signing a non- disclosure form.

Are you ready? If not, could your office pay the $10,000+ fine?

What other HIPAA issues are out there?

Could you please give a source to story or specific information on these HIPAA fines that you state have been levied?

Thanks for precise information.
Gil

[kjw1231]

The story I read was about a Doctor (non-optical) in Illinois. It was in a HIPAA Journal.

Additionally, there was another story in a local paper, that I was sent from a partner. It was about a Doctor who donated his computers to a school and was fined $5,000.

There is a HIPAA "Disk Sanitation" procedure that MUST be followed for service, warranty repair and disposal of equipment. So if someone buys a Dell, gateway or if you go to the local Computer Store, you better have documentation ready when a repair is done.

[vitalogy44]

The following was posted on the KY Optometric Assoc. Website....

Memo: HIPAA STING

Date: 04/16/03

From: The American Optometric Association

By now, most health care providers and practitioners that transmit data electronically in connection with a HIPAA enumerated transaction know that April 14, 2003 is “HIPAA Day” – the day by which they must be compliant with HIPAA’s Privacy Rule. The AOA recently learned about reports that certain consumer advocates are planning to conduct “sting” operations to ascertain whether individual health care providers and practitioners are in compliance with the Privacy Rule. Reportedly, the “sting” operations will involve decoy patients potentially indistinguishable from bona fide patients. The assumption is that providers or practitioners found to be out of compliance would become targets for compliance lawsuits based upon the mandates of the Privacy Rule.
The obvious warning –fully comply with the HIPAA Privacy rule immediately, and remain vigilant in HIPAA compliance at all times. Consumers and their representatives have received timely media information about what to expect from their health care providers and practitioners in the era of HIPAA, and advocates likely have been gearing up for “HIPAA Day” for quite some time.
For further information on HIPAA compliance, consult the AOA website or your individual legal counsel.

Amazing, huh?!? I'm sure that there will people/groups that will find someway to make money on this. Attorneys should be loving this--how much business did HIPAA drum up for them??

[Ray Parent]

What's really amazing is how many offices I come across that still are not up on HIPAA. I usually visit anywhere from 10 to 16 offices a week and I would say a good 10 to 20% haven't started, much less completed implementation.