Is your office photocopy machine a HIPAA time-bomb?  Affinity Health Plan recently learned that the answer is yes, to the tune of a $1.2 million settlement with the US Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR).  Affinity is a not-for-profit managed care organization which includes one of the New York metropolitan area’s largest Medicaid managed care programs.  In 2010, Affinity made a mandatory breach report to OCR when it learned that the protected health information (PHI) of over 300,000 individuals was found on the hard drives of multiple photocopiers that Affinity had leased.  Affinity failed to have the hard drives wiped or destroyed prior to the return of the copiers at the end of the leases.

As HIPAA Covered Entities, healthcare organizations from hospitals and inpatient facilities to physician practices and health plans should take note of this matter.   For Covered Entities, this may mean new policies covering copiers and other hard drives containing PHI, revised risk analyses and safeguards, and revised Business Associate Agreements (BAAs).

Additionally, Business Associates of healthcare organizations, including consultants, lawyers, accountants, and billing companies, who may possess protected health information should also pay close attention.  Under the Omnibus Rule, finalized earlier this year and taking effect on September 23, 2013, business associates will be directly responsible for compliance with the privacy and security provisions HIPAA, HITECH and the Ominbus Rule. This means developing their own policies and procedures, conducting internal risk assessments and audits, and implementing physical and electronic safeguards to protect PHI.  Business Associates should carefully read new or revised BAAs they receive from Covered Entities to better understand their obligations.

The health care attorneys at Farrell Fritz understand HIPAA, can help your organization move toward compliance with new and old requirements, and minimize your risk of substantial fines.