The Pitfalls Of “Business Associate” HIPAA Liability

If a company is a business associate of an entity covered by HIPAA, it could be subject to HIPAA strictures, with potentially draconian penalties for compliance failure. That underscores the importance of understanding exactly what a “business associate” is. An entity that takes on the compliance burden of being one but isn’t legally required to do so wastes money and time. A post from Holland & Hart details the differences – and for entities that are covered, the penalties, as well as the circumstances under which penalties could be reduced or withheld. This post includes a “business associate decision tree” to help make what can be a complex and highly consequential decision.