The Definition of Electronic Health Record

This posting is one of several that outline the HITECH privacy provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that President Obama signed into law on Tuesday, February 17, 2009, in Denver, CO. Here, we reproduce the definitions that appear in Subtitle D—Privacy, Section 13400. Definitions, that appear in the Conference Report on page H1345 of Congressional Record—House, February 12, 2009. These definitions are critical in understanding the content of the new HITECH privacy provisions and how they relate to existing HIPAA Administrative Simplification Privacy Rule standards. HIPAA Privacy Definitions: BreachBusiness AssociateCovered EntityDisclosureElectronic Health RecordHealth Care Operations Health Care ProviderHealth PlanNational CoordinatorPaymentPersonal Health RecordProtected Health Information SecretarySecurityStateTreatmentUseVendor Of Personal Health…

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The Definition of Disclosure

This posting is one of several that outline the HITECH privacy provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that President Obama signed into law on Tuesday, February 17, 2009, in Denver, CO. Here, we reproduce the definitions that appear in Subtitle D—Privacy, Section 13400. Definitions, that appear in the Conference Report on page H1345 of Congressional Record—House, February 12, 2009. These definitions are critical in understanding the content of the new HITECH privacy provisions and how they relate to existing HIPAA Administrative Simplification Privacy Rule standards. HIPAA Privacy Definitions: BreachBusiness AssociateCovered EntityDisclosureElectronic Health RecordHealth Care Operations Health Care ProviderHealth PlanNational CoordinatorPaymentPersonal Health RecordProtected Health Information SecretarySecurityStateTreatmentUseVendor Of Personal Health…

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The Definition of Covered Entity

This posting is one of several that outline the HITECH privacy provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that President Obama signed into law on Tuesday, February 17, 2009, in Denver, CO. Here, we reproduce the definitions that appear in Subtitle D—Privacy, Section 13400. Definitions, that appear in the Conference Report on page H1345 of Congressional Record—House, February 12, 2009. These definitions are critical in understanding the content of the new HITECH privacy provisions and how they relate to existing HIPAA Administrative Simplification Privacy Rule standards. HIPAA Privacy Definitions: BreachBusiness AssociateCovered EntityDisclosureElectronic Health RecordHealth Care Operations Health Care ProviderHealth PlanNational CoordinatorPaymentPersonal Health RecordProtected Health Information SecretarySecurityStateTreatmentUseVendor Of Personal Health…

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The Definition of Business Associate

This posting is one of several that outline the HITECH privacy provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that President Obama signed into law on Tuesday, February 17, 2009, in Denver, CO. Here, we reproduce the definitions that appear in Subtitle D—Privacy, Section 13400. Definitions, that appear in the Conference Report on page H1345 of Congressional Record—House, February 12, 2009. These definitions are critical in understanding the content of the new HITECH privacy provisions and how they relate to existing HIPAA Administrative Simplification Privacy Rule standards. HIPAA Privacy Definitions: BreachBusiness AssociateCovered EntityDisclosureElectronic Health RecordHealth Care Operations Health Care ProviderHealth PlanNational CoordinatorPaymentPersonal Health RecordProtected Health Information SecretarySecurityStateTreatmentUseVendor Of Personal Health…

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The Definition of Breach

This posting is one of several that outline the HITECH privacy provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that President Obama signed into law on Tuesday, February 17, 2009, in Denver, CO. Here, we reproduce the definitions that appear in Subtitle D—Privacy, Section 13400. Definitions, that appear in the Conference Report on page H1345 of Congressional Record—House, February 12, 2009. These definitions are critical in understanding the content of the new HITECH privacy provisions and how they relate to existing HIPAA Administrative Simplification Privacy Rule standards. HIPAA Privacy Definitions: BreachBusiness AssociateCovered EntityDisclosureElectronic Health RecordHealth Care Operations Health Care ProviderHealth PlanNational CoordinatorPaymentPersonal Health RecordProtected Health Information SecretarySecurityStateTreatmentUseVendor Of Personal Health…

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FTC Delays Identity Theft Prevention Red Flags Rule for Second Time

The Federal Trade Commission announced a second delay on Friday, May 1, 2009, for compliance with the identity theft prevention red flags rule. The delay is for three months, with compliance now scheduled for August 1, 2009. Entities affected are creditors and financial institutions. Healthcare providers that extend delayed payment plans to patients are deemed “creditors” under the red flags rule. This delay was to give affected entities more time to develop and implement written identity theft prevention policies and procedures for compliance with the rule, which is based on enabling regulations of provisions in the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003. You can visit the FTC website…

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Federal Government Declares Public Health Emergency Regarding H1N1 (Swine) Flu

The federal government has declared a public health emergency in the United States concerning H1N1 swine flu. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides “information to help health care providers, public health officials and the public address the challenges posed by this emergency. CDC is issuing and updating interim guidance daily in response to the rapidly evolving situation.” HIPAA.com recommends that you visit the CDC site, http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu, where you can get additional information and sign up for situation updates via email. Also, CDC posts emergency updates on Twitter at http://twitter.com/cdcemergency.

Facility Access Controls: Maintenance Records-What to Do and How to Do It

In our series on the HIPAA Administrative Simplification Security Rule, this is the fourth implementation specification for the Physical Safeguard Standard, Facility Access Controls. This implementation specification is addressable. Remember, addressable does not mean “optional.” Rather, an addressable implementation specification means that a covered entity must use reasonable and appropriate measures to meet the standard. As we have noted in earlier postings on HIPAA.com, business associates of covered entities will be required to comply with the Security Rule safeguard standards, beginning February 17, 2010. This requirement is one of the HITECH Act provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act ARRA, signed by President Obama on February 17, 2009. What…

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