Tip of the Month
HIPAA Omnibus Compliance
Deadline: September 23
T
he implementation date
for the HIPAA Omnibus
Rule is September 23,
2013! This means all providers
must update their HIPAA Notice
of Patient Privacy (NPP) and
ensure that all current patients
receive the revised notice and
explanation by September 23.
The revised NPP must contain
the following:
• Standard heading.
• Who must abide by the NPP.
• How your organization
uses and discloses Private
Health Information (PHI)
for treatment, payment and
operations (with examples).
• For covered entities engaging
in fundraising, a statement
that an individual can
opt out of fundraising
communications.
• For providers, a statement
that the covered entity must
agree to restrict disclosure to
a health plan if the individual
pays out of pocket in full for
healthcare service.
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The NPP must also contain the
following:
• Statement regarding the
individual’s right to receive
breach notifications (how
they are informed of a PHI
breach must be included).
• Statement regarding the
sale of PHI for marketing or
other purposes that require
authorization.
• Statement that the covered
entity reserves the right to
change the terms of its NPP
and to make the new NPP
provisions effective for all
PHI it maintains.
• Statement that the covered
entity will provide
individuals with a revised
NPP in accordance with the
rule.
• Statement that individuals
may complain to the covered
entity and to the Secretary
if they believe their privacy
rights have been violated.
• Brief description of how
an individual may file a
complaint with a covered
entity.
• Statement that the individual
will not be retaliated against
for filing a complaint.
• Statement containing the
name or title, and telephone
number of a person or
office to contact for further
information as well as the
date the NPP, as revised,
became effective.
Healthcare providers must
post their revised NPP on their
website (if applicable), and must
display the NPP in a prominent
location on their premises.
Patients who are receiving
services for the first time after
modification of the NPP should
be provided with a copy of the
revised NPP. Consistent with the
existing rules, providers should
retain copies of previous versions
of their NPPs as well as any
written acknowledgements of
their patients’ receipt of NPPs.
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NewsLine - August 2013