Industry Insights

This is the second in a three-part series of articles on HIPAA compliance.  This article reviews what it means to assign (or be assigned) responsibility for internal HIPAA compliance, what's involved in transforming your organization into a HIPAA-compliant entity, and how to get there.

You've determined that your subject to HIPAA as a covered entity or a business associate (or even a business associate of a business associate).  Now what?  Here's a seven-step approach to taking on HIPAA compliance.

Since its enactment in 1996, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”) imposed restrictions on people and entities who are deemed “business associates.”  Effective February 18, 2010, those restrictions have become substantially more significant.  And, coming soon, the pool of people and entities who will be subject to the business associate requirements will grow.  This article offers an overview of what business associate needs to know.

Many commentators have observed that the Health Care Reform bill enacted March 23, 2010, known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“PPACA”) represents the most significant legal change to the American health care system since the adoption of the Medicare Program itself in 1965. To assist our skilled nursing facility clients in preparing to meet the new requirements of law, Fenton Nelson has broken down PPACA’s requirements that are directly relevant to skilled nursing facilities (“SNF’s”).