Genetic Testing HIPAA Warning: Legal Considerations

genetic testing hipaaBy: Jacqueline Bain

You might have recently received a holiday gift of a direct-to-consumer genetic testing kit from Ancestry.com or 23andMe.com (or any other number of companies). So exciting! In our melting pot society, one can’t help but be curious about where they come from and if they are more likely than any other person to be subject to any number of ailments.

Not so fast though! Before you swab yourself and send away your genes for testing, you might consider what you’re exposing yourself to. Direct-to-consumer genetic testing companies, which provide genetic testing directly to consumers without any intervening healthcare provider, are not bound by HIPAA. They are not considered “covered entities”, and therefore not required to use the same protections for genetic information the way a hospital or your doctor would.Continue reading

HIPAA Compliance: Docs, You’ve Been Hacked. What’s Next?

HIPAABy: Jacqueline Bain

Healthcare providers have heard the HIPAA disaster stories: a laptop containing patient information is left on the counter at the coffee shop; a thumb drive with patient files goes missing; a rogue employee accesses patient information she has no business accessing; hackers get into a practice’s server and hold the patient information for ransom.

HIPAA is a federal law designed for safe disclosure of patient’s protected health information.  The news headlines showcase giant penalties for violations.  However, Florida healthcare providers should also know that Florida has its own consumer protection statute, called the Florida Information Protection Act.  So while you’re busy worrying about your HIPAA exposure in any of these situations, remember that there is potential State exposure as well.

So what should a healthcare provider do if it believes there has been a hack or some other unauthorized disclosure?  Responses vary based on the situation presented, but below is a good jumping off point:Continue reading

What is FIPA and How Is FIPA Different From HIPAA?

By: Jackie Bain

FIPA is the Florida Information Protection Act of 2014.  It became elective on July 1, 2014.  Many people consider FIPA to be Florida’s state law counterpart to the Federal Government’s Health Information Protection and Administration Act of 1996 (“HIPAA).  However, FIPA is, in many respects, more far reaching than HIPAA.  Those who transact business in the State of Florida are well-served to be knowledgeable about FIPA.

FIPA affects more than just health care providers and those in the healthcare industry.  Under FIPA, any business that acquires, stores, maintains or uses personal information must take reasonable measures to safeguard that information.  “Personal information” includes the use of a person’s first and last name (or first initial and last name) in conjunction with his or her social security number, driver’s license or other government identification number, bank account number, credit or debit card number and password or pin, medical history, or health insurance policy number.  A convenience store that might have access to a person’s name and credit card number is just as accountable under FIPA as a hospital who might store that person’s medical history and insurance information.Continue reading