HIPAA Compliance: Understanding Its Applicability

• By: Staff Editor
• Date: January 30, 2015

The HIPAA Final Omnibus Rule was published on January 25, 2013, by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR). The HIPAA Final Rule has made significant changes to the privacy, security, breach notification requirements that business associates have to fulfill. These changes are very complex and require covered entities to keep an eye on the policies and procedures that their business associates already have in place or need to implement. The ultimate responsibility for protected health information lies with the covered entity and any breach or malpractice on the part of the business associate will affect the reputation and revenue of the covered entity.