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On December 12, 2019, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced its second “HIPAA Right of Access Initiative” settlement of alleged HIPAA violations.

The HIPAA Right of Access Initiative is a recent effort by OCR to monitor compliance with HIPAA requirements addressing patient rights to prompt access to medical records, in a readily producible format, without being subject to excessive fees. OCR announced its first settlement under the Right of Access Initiative in September 2019 (see our analysis of that settlement here), and this second settlement indicates a continued focus by OCR on HIPAA compliance by providers when responding to patient requests for records.
Continue Reading OCR Announces Second $85,000 Settlement for Alleged Violations of the Individual Right of Access under HIPAA

The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced on October 23, 2019 that Jackson Health System (Jackson), a not-for-profit hospital system comprised of six hospitals, urgent care centers, nursing facilities, and primary care and specialty services based in Miami, Florida, has waived its right to a hearing and did not contest the findings set forth in the OCR’s Notice of Proposed Determination (NPD), and has agreed to pay the full civil monetary penalty assessed by OCR. This unusual step means that Jackson will pay the full fine of $2.15 million.

According to the OCR, Jackson notified the OCR in 2013 that paper records of 256 patients’ personal health information (PHI) located in three boxes were lost in 2012. It thereafter reported in 2016 that the loss was actually 1,436 patient records.Continue Reading Jackson Health System Fined by OCR

The Office for Civil Rights has announced that it has settled with Lakeland, Florida based Advanced Care Hospitalists (ACH) for $500,000 for allegations of an impermissible disclosure of protected health information by one of its business associates. ACH provides contract internal medicine physicians to nursing homes and hospitals.

According to the press release, between November 2011 and June 2012, ACH engaged an individual who claimed to be a representative of Doctor’s First Choice Billings, Inc., which provides medical billing services. Although the individual used First Choice’s website and company affiliation, the owner of First Choice denied that the individual was employed by First Choice, and stated that the services were provided without the knowledge or permission of First Choice.
Continue Reading Advanced Care Hospitalists Settles with OCR for $500,000  for Alleged HIPAA Violations

On January 29, 2017, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a temporary moratorium on enrolling Part B non-emergency ambulance providers/suppliers and home health agencies, subunits and branch locations in Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Texas, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.  CMS is taking this measure “to prevent and combat fraud, waste and abuse.”  The moratorium…

A class action was filed in Fort Lauderdale, Florida this week against a national telehealth provider, MDLive Inc. (MDLive) for its mobile app’s alleged secret capture of screenshots containing sensitive patient information without restricting access to medical providers who have a legitimate need to view the information. The lawsuit was filed by Utah resident, Joan Richards, who is seeking class certification of a class that she estimates will include thousands of other MDLive users and more than $5 million damages.
Continue Reading Class Action Initiated Against Telehealth Provider for Disclosure of Sensitive Information

In Wollschlaeger v. Florida, No. 12-14009 (Feb. 16, 2017), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit invalidated provisions of the Florida Firearms Owners’ Privacy Act that prohibited physicians from (i) asking patients if they (or their family members) own firearms or ammunition, (ii) documenting firearm ownership in patient medical records, and (iii) harassing patients about firearm ownership during examinations. The appellate court did not invalidate the Act’s antidiscrimination provision that prohibits physicians from discriminating against patients based solely on firearm ownership. Physicians who violated the Act were subject to disciplinary action by the Florida Board of Medicine, which promulgated regulations in 2014 and 2016 setting forth mandatory penalties for violations.
Continue Reading 11th Circuit Invalidates Key Provisions in Florida Law Prohibiting Physician Inquiries About Patient Firearm Ownership

On January 31, 2017, the Florida Supreme Court held that adverse medical incident reports produced in accordance with Florida law cannot constitute confidential and privileged patient safety work product (PSWP) under the federal Patient Safety & Quality Improvement Act of 2005 (PSQIA). In Jean Charles, Jr. et al. v. Southern Baptist Hospital of Florida, Inc. (No. SC15-2180), the Court endorsed a broad right of access under the Florida Constitution for patients to obtain adverse medical incident reports from health care facilities, a right commonly exercised by plaintiffs in medical malpractice actions.
Continue Reading Florida Supreme Court Rejects PSQIA Preemption of Florida Constitution