HHS imposes a $4.3 million civil money penalty for violations of the HIPAA Privacy Rule

Contibuted by Paul J. Welk

pwelk@tuckerlaw.com; 412.594.5536

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has issued a Notice of Final Determination, marking the first civil money penalty issued by HHS for HIPAA Privacy Rule violations, finding that Cignet Health of Prince George’s County, Md., (Cignet) violated the Privacy Rule of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). HHS has imposed a civil money penalty (CMP) of $4.3 million for the violations.  For more information, read HHS’ Press Release.