By Porter Wright on On our sister blog — Employer Law Report — our partner Brian Hall wrote about the likely availability of an Alzheimer’s blood test, and the impact of new genetic testing in the context of employer sponsored group health care plans and wellness programs. Brian spoke of the “imaginary line” that separates protected health information from human … Continue Reading
By Porter Wright on We hope you had a wonderful summer! Back in May, we alerted our readers to the deadline for complying with the HIPAA Omnibus Rule: September 23, 2013. That may have seemed like a long way off at the time, but here it is September already. Health care plan sponsors who have not yet taken action to ensure compliance with the Rule need to make this a priority. … Continue Reading
By Porter Wright on Summer is right around the corner, so you are probably thinking about cookouts, pool parties, and vacations. HIPAA is probably the furthest thing from your mind (if not, you probably wish it was). However, before you book those beach vacations, do not forget to mark September 23, 2013 on your calendars, as this is the general deadline for compliance with the new HIPAA Omnibus Rule.… Continue Reading
By Porter Wright on Most covered entities (e.g., health plans and health care providers) are aware that they are obligated under HIPAA to have business associate agreements (“BAAs”) in place with their business associates who use or disclose protected health information (“PHI”) in carrying out their obligations to the covered entity (e.g., third-party administrators, claim processors, etc.). … Continue Reading
By Porter Wright on While audits of qualified retirement plans have become commonplace, audits of health and welfare plans have historically been much less common. Only a select group of “lucky” employers was subjected to health and welfare plan audits, and the scope of those audits was somewhat limited. Unfortunately, it appears that trend is ending. We are seeing a notable increase in the frequency of health and welfare plan audits, and the scope of these audits is becoming much broader.… Continue Reading
