HITECH “Business Associate” Provisions Enforcement Delayed

Unverified accounts have it that enforcement of the “business associate” provisions of the HITECH Act, which was set to commence on February 17, 2010, is being delayed. The business associate provisions require business associates of covered entities to also implement the HIPAA Security Rule, and portions of the HIPAA Privacy Rule, and also requires that all agreements between covered entities and business associates provide for the business associates’ compliance with those to portions of HIPAA regulations.

A partner at HLP saw Adam Greene of the Office of the General Counsel, Civil Rights Division, at the Department of Health & Human Services, mentionthe delay in implementation when speaking at the American Bar Association’s 11th Annual Conference on Emerging Issues in Healthcare Law.

For more information, contact Abby Pendleton, Esq. at (248) 886-8510.