HHS unveils online form for reporting HIPAA health information breaches

To report breaches of protected health information (PHI) under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), health plans and other covered entities subject to the law's privacy requirements must use a new online form on the HHS website. HIPAA changes enacted by the 2009 HITECH Act require group health plans to report PHI breaches to HHS, even if the breach originated with a vendor or elsewhere. Initial reports of breaches affecting fewer than 500 people are due March 1, 2010.  (Select News, 21 Oct 2009)

• HHS website with online breach-reporting forms and instructions
• Full text of interim final regulations for HIPAA breach notices (HHS, 24 Aug 2009) (PDF)

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