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In late August, the HHS Office for Civil Rights ("OCR") announced an $80,000 settlement with United Healthcare Insurance Company ("United") relating to OCR's right of access initiative (the "Initiative") which requires that patients be able to access their health information in a timely manner...
The HHS Office of Inspector General issued an 'unfavorable' advisory opinion in August with respect to a proposed joint venture relating to interoperative neuro monitoring. Parties considering joint ventures and those in joint ventures should review the OIG analysis to assess compliance with...
A recent Law360 article by Peter Murphy provided that to-date, cannabis companies are unlikely to challenge the constitutionally of mandating labor peace agreements (LPAs) as a condition of state cannabis license. It looks like change is in the air. What You Need to Know: A Rhode Island cannabis...
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced a settlement on June 28, 2023 of potential violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy and Security Rules with iHealth Solutions, LLC (doing business as Advantum...
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) recently announced two settlements with HIPAA-covered entities – one in Washington State and one in New Jersey with settlements of $240,000 and $30,000, respectively. In the Washington State settlement, hospital...
After extensive negotiating, party-line votes, and resolution of conflicts between the senate and house, Minnesota’s Adult-Use Cannabis bill (“HF 100” or “the bill”) is finally headed to the Governor’s desk. The Governor has indicated he is eager to sign the bill, making Minnesota the 23rd state to...
Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”) announced two (2) different settlements, one with a HIPAA business associate for $350,000 and one with a HIPAA-covered entity pursuant to the OCR Right of Access Initiative for $15,000...
On Friday, April 21, 2023, Gov. John Carney issued a press release indicating he would not veto two legalization bills on his desk as he did one year ago, and they would go into effect on Sunday, April 23, 2023. Sources suggest that, unlike last year, the Democratic-controlled General Assembly would...
On April 12, 2023, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (the “ Notice”) to solicit comments on its proposal to modify the HIPAA Privacy Rule. Specifically, the Privacy Rule modifications described in...
The 2021 calendar year reports from HHS OCR describe OCR’s efforts that calendar year and are instructive tools for all parties who need to comply with HIPAA to understand macro-level trends. What You Need to Know: OCR continues to receive tens of thousands HIPAA complaints each year. “Large”...
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in health care, and specifically, as the utilization of software in medical devices continues to increase. Machine learning (ML) is a branch of AI in which computer systems automatically adapt, improve, and make predictions by applying algorithms to analyze...
On December 2, 2022, the Office for Civil Rights (“ OCR”) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (“ SAMHSA”) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“ HHS”) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“ NPRM”) to revise the Confidentiality of Substance Use...
Neither shots nor pills will immunize smaller medical, dental, chiropractic, and physical therapy practices, surgery centers, and other healthcare concerns from compliance with the looming (and burdensome) reporting obligations imposed on them if they are “reporting companies” under the federal...
Effective November 16, 2022, New Jersey will impose additional requirements when a ‘health care entity’ is sold or undergoes a change in control. The changes are the result of the enactment of S-315, on August 18, 2021. What You Need to Know: New Jersey enacted a statute that will impose additional...