HIPAA Violation Paper
This posting is about a former UCLA Health System employee, Huping Zhou, 47, from Los Angeles. Mr. Zhou was a licensed cardiothoracic surgeon in China before he immigrated to the United States of America (USA). After his immigration to the USA, he was employed as a researcher with the UCLA school of medicine. Few months later he was let go from his job, reasons unrelated to later HIPAA violation charges. He was accused and later found guilty, of illegally accessing medical records of his immediate supervisor and other co-workers, as well as celebrities and other high-profile patients. He became the first individual in the U.S. to be convicted of violating HIPAA and accessing the medical records for no valid reason. Mr. Zhou was sentenced to 4 months in prison after pleading guilty, however according to his attorney Edward Robinson, Mr. Zhou did not know that accessing those records was against the federal law.
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According to U.S.
Department of Health & Human Services office for Civil Rights, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a federal law that states established rules who can have an access and obtain our medical information and record. The HIPAA law protects patient’s privacy, explains at what occasion the health information and medical records can be shared. Doctors, pharmacist, our health plan, and other health care providers are required to explain to patients how and when health records can be used and shared. By signing the form, Notice of Privacy Practice, at the doctor’s office patients are informed of their rights
(n.d.).
According to American Medical Association (AMA), violating the HIPAA can result in civil and criminal penalties. The Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has the right of determining the amount of civil penalty. Civil penalties can range from $100 to $1.5 million, depending on the crime and whether the individual was aware of HIPAA violation. Criminal penalties are clarified by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), fines can range up to $250.000 and up to 10 years in prison (n.d).
According to U.S.
Department of Health & Human Services office for Civil Rights, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a federal law that states established rules who can have an access and obtain our medical information and record. The HIPAA law protects patient’s privacy, explains at what occasion the health information and medical records can be shared. Doctors, pharmacist, our health plan, and other health care providers are required to explain to patients how and when health records can be used and shared. By signing the form, Notice of Privacy Practice, at the doctor’s office patients are informed of their rights
(n.d.).
According to American Medical Association (AMA), violating the HIPAA can result in civil and criminal penalties. The Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has the right of determining the amount of civil penalty. Civil penalties can range from $100 to $1.5 million, depending on the crime and whether the individual was aware of HIPAA violation. Criminal penalties are clarified by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), fines can range up to $250.000 and up to 10 years in prison (n.d).