medical history | The Health Law Firm Blog

Affinity Health Plan Settles with Government in Photocopier HIPAA Breach Incident Involving Patient Medical Information

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

The U.S. Department of Health and Humans Services (HHS) Office of Civil Rights (OCR), and Affinity Health Plan, Inc. (Affinity), reached a settlement for more than $1.2 million for potential violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The alleged violations related to a photocopier previously leased by Affinity. The photocopier had an internal hard drive which stored copies of documents, including medical records, which had been photocopied by Afinity. The photocopier was returned to the leasing company and then later purchased from that same company by CBS Evening News. Apparently CBS […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:51-04:00June 1, 2018|Electronic Health Record, HIPAA, Hitech Act, In the Know, The Health Law Firm Blog|

Two Laptops Containing Information of 729,000 Patients Stolen from California Hospital Group

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

The personal health information of around 729,000 patients has been compromised following the theft of two laptops. The password-protected computers were taken from an administration building of AHMC Healthcare Inc., a hospital group in Alhambra, California. According to the Los Angeles Times, the laptops contain data from patients treated at six different AHMC Healthcare hospitals. Surveillance video shows that the theft occurred on October 12, 2013, but hospital officials did not discover the laptops were missing until two days later.

To read the article from the Los Angeles Times, click here.

Laptops Contain […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:52-04:00June 1, 2018|HIPAA, Hitech Act, The Health Law Firm Blog|

Dermatology Practice Settles with Government After Stolen USB Drive Results in HIPAA Breach

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR), and Adult & Pediatric Dermatology (APDerm), reached a $150,000 settlement for privacy and security violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The alleged violations related to an unencrypted USB drive that was stolen. The thumb drive contained the protected health information (PHI) of around 2,200 patients, according to a press release posted December 26, 2013, on the HHS website.

According to the HHS, this is the first settlement with a covered entity for not having policies and procedures […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:54-04:00June 1, 2018|HIPAA, Hitech Act, The Health Law Firm Blog|

Data Breach at Colorado Hospital Highlights IT Security Risks

By Lance O. Leider, J.D., The Health Law Firm

A small rural hospital in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, has identified a virus on its computer network that had captured and stored screen shots of protected health information in a hidden file system. The hidden folder was created on Sept. 23, 2013, but was not discovered until Jan. 23, 2014. The breach identified at least 5,400 individual patients whose information was compromised.

According to Healthcare IT News, among the stolen data was patient names, addresses, dates of birth, telephone numbers, Social Security numbers, credit card information, and admission and discharge dates.

Hospital officials have been unable to determine how the virus was loaded onto […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:55-04:00June 1, 2018|HIPAA, Hitech Act, In the Know, The Health Law Firm Blog|

HIPAA Fines, Mobile Devices and Risk Assessments: Follow the Steps or Pay the Price

By Lance O. Leider, J.D., The Health Law Firm

Two separate entities have agreed to pay the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) $1,975,220 in fines collectively. The settlements resolve potential violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) privacy and security rules involving stolen, unencrypted laptops. These two actions shine a light on the significant risk unencrypted laptops and other mobile devices pose to the security of patient information.

To read the press release from the HHS OCR, published on April 22, 2014, click here.

Concentra Received Risk Assessments, But Did Not Act on Findings.

According to the OCR, an […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:56-04:00June 1, 2018|HIPAA, Hitech Act, The Health Law Firm Blog|

Jury Awards Walgreens Customer $1.44 Million Over HIPAA Violation

By Lance O. Leider, J.D., The Health Law Firm and George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

An Indiana jury awarded a Walgreens customer $1.44 million on July 26, 2013, over a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) violation, according to the Indianapolis Star. The Walgreens pharmacist was found to have violated the customer’s privacy by looking up and sharing the customer’s prescription history with others. The lawsuit alleged that there was a relationship between the pharmacist, her husband and the husband’s ex-girlfriend (who was the customer). The customer/ex-girlfriend was the plaintiff in the lawsuit.

Click here to read […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:14-04:00May 15, 2018|Legal Defense for Pharmacists, Pharmacist, Pharmacy, Pharmacy Law|