Providers may choose to not enter into corporate integrity agreements (CIAs) after they have settled fraud cases. The OIG has decided to target these entities according to the OIG Work Plan for 2012.

Cignet Health (Cignet) has become the first covered entity to be issued a civil monetary penalty. The HHS Office of Civil Rights (OCR) has imposed a penalty of $4.3 million. The violations were a result of the new rules and regulations set forth in Section 13410(d) of the HITECH Act.

For further details see links below.

http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/news/cignetnews.html

On December 18, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Red Flag Program Clarification Act. The new law limits the circumstances in which creditors are covered by the Red Flags Rule. The FTC is revising the materials on their site to reflect the change in the law.

See the new law here:

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-111s3987enr/pdf/BILLS-111s3987enr.pdf

As many are aware, the February 17, 2010 effective date for many of the HITECH provisions has passed. This has left many covered entities and business associates wondering how to proceed. According to hhs.gov, the relevant effective dates for provisions will be issued through Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) and an eventual final rule.

FTC announced on April 30, 2009 that the enforcement of the Red Flag Rule will be delayed until August 1, 2009.  This will allow time for creditors and financial institutions to create and fine tune their identity theft prevention programs.  A template has also been developed and will be available soon which will aid companies with a low risk of identity theft. 

More information is available from here: http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2009/04/redflagsrule.shtm

By now you've probably heard the rumblings surrounding HIPAA and the new Stimulus Bill signed by President Obama on February 17, 2009.  If not, the effect the bill is going to have on business associates and covered entities is extensive.  Numerous changes will be made to their current policies and procedures.