In our series on the HIPAA Administrative Simplification Security Rule, this is the first implementation specification for the Administrative Safeguard Standard (Contingency Plan). This implementation specification is required. As HIPAA.com has noted in earlier postings, with enactment of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) on February 17, 2009, business associates also will be required to comply with the Security Rule standards, effective February 17, 2010. What to Do Establish and implement procedures to create and maintain retrievable exact copies of electronic protected health information. How to Do It Covered entities must backup electronic protected health information on a regular basis. When a computer system fails, it may…
Tag: 2009
Contingency Plan-What This HIPAA Security Rule Administrative Safeguard Standard Means
This is the seventh Administrative Safeguard Standard of the HIPAA Administrative Simplification Security Rule. It has five implementation specifications: Data backup plan; Disaster recovery plan; Emergency mode operation plan; Testing and revision procedures; and Applications and data criticality analysis. The first three are required; the last two are addressable. 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. Further, as HIPAA.com has noted earlier, business associates also will be required to comply with the Security Rule standards, effective February 17, 2010. If a fire swept through a covered entity’s facility, the covered entity would…
5010/D.0 Effective Date Tuesday, March 17, 2009; Compliance Date January 1, 2012
The version modification to the HIPAA Administrative Simplification transaction standards becomes effective Tuesday, March 17, 2009. Here are several critical things to know, drawn directly from the final rule published in the Federal Register on January 16, 2009. The final rule is available for download on the HIPAA.com site. Effective Date: The effective date [March 17, 2009] is the date that the policies set forth in this final rule take effect, and new policies are considered to be officially adopted. [74 Federal Register 3302] Compliance Date: On January 1, 2012, all covered entities will have reached Level 2 compliance, and must be fully compliant in using Versions 5010 and D.0…
One Week from Today: 5010/D.0 Final Rule Effective Date
They’re coming: the Ides of March (the 14th); NCAA Basketball Tournament Announcement (the 15th); St. Patrick’s Day (the 17th); and 5010/D.0 Final Rule Effective Date (the 17th). If you are a covered entity, Level 1 testing begins Tuesday, March 17, 2009. Here are five things you need to do to start. Conduct a Gap Analysis. What do I need to do to become compliant on January 1, 2012? That date sounds far off, but it will be here before you know it. Unlike previous transaction contingency periods for covered entities and their trading partners, HHS has indicated that there will be no tolerance for those not ready. Read the final…
Security Incident Procedures Response and Reporting: What to Do and How to Do It
This is the sixth Administrative Safeguard Standard of the HIPAA Administrative Simplification Security Rule. This is its one implementation specification, Response and Reporting, which is required for compliance. As we have noted in earlier postings, with enactment of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (“ARRA”) on February 17, 2009, business associates also will be required to comply with the Security Rule standards, effective February 17, 2010. What to Do This standard requires that the covered entity implement response and reporting policies to address security incidents. A security incident is defined as “the attempted or successful unauthorized access, use, disclosure, modification, or destruction of information or interference with system…
Is Your Covered Entity Preparing for 5010/D.0 Testing? Part 2: Level 2 Testing
On March 17, 2009, the Final Rules for Modifications to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) become effective. HIPAA.com has available for download the final rules for 5010/D.0 as published in the Federal Register on January 16, 2009 (pp.3295-3328). The effective date is “the date that the policies set forth in this final rule take effect, and new policies are considered to be officially adopted.” [p.3302]. All covered entities are to be in compliance with 5010/D.0 on January 1, 2012. Testing can occur “from the date of the final rule until the compliance date for Versions 5010 and D.0.” [p. 3306] The Final Rules outline two levels of…
Security Incident Procedures: What This HIPAA Security Rule Administrative Safeguard Standard Means
This is the sixth Administrative Safeguard Standard of the HIPAA Administrative Simplification Security Rule. It has one implementation specification: Response and Reporting, which is required for compliance. As we have noted in earlier postings, with enactment of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (“ARRA”) on February 17, 2009, business associates also will be required to comply with the Security Rule standards, effective February 17, 2010. This safeguard standard and its implementation specification require covered entities to establish policies and procedures to respond to security incidents and to report them. A security incident is defined as “the attempted or successful unauthorized access, use, disclosure, modification, or destruction of information…
Information Access Management: Access Establishment and Modification-What to Do and How to Do It
In our series on the HIPAA Administrative Simplification Security Rule, this is the third implementation specification for the Administrative Safeguard Standard (Information Access Management). 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. Further, as we have noted in a posting last week, with enactment of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 on February 17, 2009, business associates also will be required to comply with the Security Rule standards, effective February 17, 2010. What to Do Implement policies and procedures that, based upon the covered entity’s…
Information Access Management: Access Authorization-What to Do and How to Do It
In our series on the HIPAA Administrative Simplification Security Rule, this is the second implementation specification for the Administrative Safeguard Standard (Information Access Management). 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. Further, as we have noted in a posting last week, with enactment of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 on February 17, 2009, business associates also will be required to comply with the Security Rule standards, effective February 17, 2010. What to Do Implement policies and procedures for granting access to electronic protected…