Insurer must show policy to prevent PHI breach
HIPAA Weekly Advisor, January 26, 2009
Want to receive articles like this one in your inbox? Subscribe to HIPAA Weekly Advisor!
BlueCross BlueShield of Delaware can save on a $150,000 fine if it shows it has a policy and procedure in place to prevent a PHI breach, according to a January 6 story on the IFAwebnews.com Web site.
Matt Denn, Delaware’s state insurance commissioner, levied the state’s maximum fine in December when it found the Wilmington, DL-based insurer mistakenly disclosed information of 3,800 members, the Web site reported. BlueCross BlueShield has until February 1 to show it has taken appropriate measures to prevent another breach.
BlueCross said it “gives the highest corporate priority to the protection of the information our customers entrust to us” and apologized for the “regrettable occurrence cause by a printer malfunction” in a statement to the Web site.
The violation occurred when BlueCross sent “explanation of benefit” forms to members in November that also featured information on other members, such as name, medical provider, description of service provided and their account number.
BlueCross told IFAwebnews.com it was the result of a printing error, but Denn nonetheless found them in violation of two state insurance laws. One of the laws prohibits disclosure of “any nonpublic personal financial information about a consumer,” while the other requires insurers to have a system to safeguard customer information.
Read the full story in IFAwebnews.com here.
Want to receive articles like this one in your inbox? Subscribe to HIPAA Weekly Advisor!
Comments
0 comments on “Insurer must show policy to prevent PHI breach ”
Related Products
-
Guide to HIPAA Auditing, Second Edition
This new edition of a best-selling book delivers the hands-on tools and guidance you need to conduct effective in-house...
-
The No-Hassle Guide to HIPAA Policies: A Privacy and Security Toolkit
HIPAA regulations require extensive documentation—likely more than you've done in the past. Changing the way you look...
-
The HIPAA and HITECH Toolkit
The HIPAA and HITECH Toolkit is a valuable resource that helps both CEs and BAs understand and meet the HITECH Act's...
-
HIPAA Training Handbook for Business Associates
Train all of your staff members with this handbook and others in the 2009 HIPAA Handbook Series. Ensure they understand...
-
HIPAA Handbook for Executive, Administrative and Corporate Staff
Train all of your staff members with this handbook and others in the 2009 HIPAA Handbook Series. Ensure they understand...
Most Popular
- Articles
-
- HIPAA Q&A: Flu shot requirement for hospital employees
- HealthDataInsights posts new issues for medical necessity claims
- Q&A: Incidental disclosures and patient privacy
- New FAQ posted on storing laryngoscope blades
- Sneak Peek: Effort underway to establish caseload benchmarks
- Running an effective peer review committee meeting
- Tip: Perform your own internal investigation prior to government audit
- What does case-mix index mean to you?
- HIPAA 5010 deadline extended, but threat remains, says AMA
- HHS task force: Consider privacy, security with text messages
- E-mailed
-
- HIPAA Q&A: Flu shot requirement for hospital employees
- Running an effective peer review committee meeting
- What does case-mix index mean to you?
- Featured blog post: Nurses face felony charges after reporting physician to the Texas Medical Board
- HHS task force: Consider privacy, security with text messages
- Tip: Correctly code bilateral pain management procedures
- Tip: Know the common bunionectomy procedure codes and how to use them
- Code changes should help ease the pain when coding for facet joint injections
- 2012 CPT code changes for ASCs: Shoulder and knee scopes and pain management
- Documentation and coding for toxic metabolic encephalopathy
- Searched