Health Information Management

Feds unsure over HIPAA enforcement practices

HIPAA Weekly Advisor, September 21, 2009

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Flash back to February 17, 2009.

President Obama signed into law the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 that included provisions for heightened enforcement of HIPAA and stiffer penalties for privacy and security violations.

The next day, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that CVS, the nation’s largest retail pharmacy chain, had to pay the U.S. government $2.25 million and take corrective action in a settlement for potential privacy breaches affecting millions of patients.

It seemed as if they were serious about enforcement. After all, it took them less than 24 hours to act.

But today, seven months later, uncertainty remains about that promised HIPAA enforcement.

Read more on our HIPAA Update blog.



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