HHS Office for Civil Rights Director Melanie Fontes Rainer on Progress and News at OCR
ERISA Blog | Changes to the HIPAA Privacy Rules A Primer for Self-Insured Group Health Plans
Podcast - Data Privacy and Tracking Technology Compliance
Patient Data and Privacy
HIPAA Tips With Williams Mullen - Telehealth After the Pandemic
Relaxed HIPAA Restrictions For Providers Using Telehealth
Webinar: Investigating and Resolving Sexual Assaults on Campus
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office for Civil Rights (OCR) recently published an executive summary (Report) outlining key enforcement activities of the Health Insurance Portability and...more
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ("HHS") issued a concept paper describing its overarching strategy to address healthcare cybersecurity. The concept paper builds on the Biden-Harris Administration's National...more
On February 27, 2023 the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), announced the formation of three new divisions within the office: Enforcement Division, Policy Division,...more
On April 11, 2023, OCR announced that the Notifications of Enforcement Discretion issued under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and the Health Information Technology for Economic and...more
On February 27, 2023, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that its law enforcement agency – the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) – will reorganize, adding new divisions to better address the rapid...more
A strong cybersecurity program can help defend against cyber attacks and protect sensitive patient data. Thanks to a 2021 amendment of the HITECH Act, when a breach occurs, it can also reduce enforcement penalties. The...more
The HHS Office for Civil Rights is requesting comments about HIPAA covered entities’ and business associates’ implementation of “recognized security practices” and payments to “harmed individuals” from funds the agency...more
In 2015, the United States Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) Office of Civil Rights (OCR) will begin enforcing the requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Health...more
The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has issued two reports to Congress, as required by the HITECH Act. The compliance report details OCR’s enforcement activities for 2011 and 2012 and...more
Recent enforcement actions and the new Omnibus Rule implementing several HITECH obligations highlighted the need for a new look at HIPAA obligations for covered entities and now business associates. HITECH not only raised the...more
A recent Office of the Inspector General (OIG) Report reviews progress made by the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) toward enforcement of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Security Rule following...more
Just days before the September 23, 2013 enforcement date for the new HITECH Act Omnibus rules, the Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights has published several new guidance tools and documents. On...more
Idaho State University (ISU) was recently the target of an investigation and enforcement action for violations of the privacy and security rules of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)....more
On January 25, 2013, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published a final rule (Final Rule) containing modifications to the privacy standards (Privacy Rule), security...more
The Office for Civil Rights of the Department of Health and Human Services (“OCR”) has issued final regulations modifying the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”) Privacy, Security, Breach...more
Changes to the HIPAA Enforcement Rule - Background: On October 30, 2009, HHS issued an interim final rule revising the Enforcement Rule to incorporate provisions of the HITECH Act. The NPRM then proposed a number of...more
On January 17, 2012, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in conjunction with the Office of Civil Rights (OCR), released for preview their long-anticipated omnibus regulation to implement the statutory...more
The Office of Civil Rights (“OCR”) of the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) published today the much anticipated final omnibus rule implementing the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health...more
The wait is finally over. On January 17, 2013, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Office for Civil Rights (OCR), issued the final “omnibus” rule modifying the HIPAA Privacy, Security, Breach Notification...more
Executive Summary - On January 25, 2013, the Federal Register will publish final omnibus rules written by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to modify the HIPAA Privacy, Security, Breach...more
On January 17, 2013, the Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued the long-awaited omnibus final rule (the Rule) implementing changes in current regulations under the Health...more
On January 17, 2013, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued an advance copy of the final omnibus rule which implements changes to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, and the...more