Written by Julie Babayan The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade has approved a data security bill by a voice vote, moving it to the full Energy and Commerce Committee for consideration. The Secure and Fortify Electronic Data (“SAFE Data”) Act would establish national rules for securing data containing personal information,… Continue Reading
Monthly Archives: July 2011
Massive Heist of Classified Documents – Pentagon Reports of Cyberwar
Posted in Uncategorized“In a single intrusion this March, 24,000 files were taken.” Chilling words yesterday from Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn in a speech revealing the nation’s strategy for cyberspace. Last night, CBS News Pentagon Correspondent David Martin got an unprecedented look inside the command center at the Pentagon and filed a report worth watching: CBS News Report… Continue Reading
New Texas Electronic Health Record Law Exceeds HIPAA Requirements
Posted in UncategorizedWritten by Dianne Bourque Texas covered entities (health care providers, health insurers and clearinghouses) and other entities that use and disclose PHI of Texas residents using electronic health records (EHRs) face new risks and stringent requirements under HB300, a new Texas privacy law. The new law, which is effective September 1, 2012, is more stringent… Continue Reading
The HIPAA Auditors Are Coming! The HIPAA Auditors Are Coming!
Posted in UncategorizedIt is time for covered entities and business associates to jump start HIPAA privacy and security programs and make sure that everything is in compliance. GovInfoSecurity reports that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded a $9.2 million contract to KPMG to develop protocols for conducting the long-awaited HITECH Act-mandated HIPAA compliance audit… Continue Reading
Mixed Decision on Motion to Dismiss Google Street View Class Action Augurs Continuing Difficulty in Maintaining Privacy Class Actions
Posted in UncategorizedUPDATE — Google has filed an appeal to the 9th Circuit to review this lower court decision “before forcing to proceed with protracted litigation” on the federal wiretapping case. Good article by David Kravets of Wired here Written by Kevin McGinty Regular readers of this blog will be familiar with my view that difficulty in proving… Continue Reading
University of California Pays Close to $1M to Settle Celebrity Health Record Snooping Complaint
Posted in UncategorizedWritten by Dianne Bourque and Cynthia Larose The University of California has paid $865,500 to the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) and agreed to a Corrective Action Plan to settle allegations that UCLA Health System (UCLAHS) employees repeatedly snooped in the electronic health records of celebrity patients. The OCR’s investigation was prompted by two separate… Continue Reading
Privacy Still on Congressional Radar Screen
Posted in Data Breach, Data Breach Notification, Data Compliance & Security, LegislationLawmakers, industry leaders and officials from the Federal Communications Commission, the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Commerce generally expressed support last week for Federal legislation on Internet privacy and data security during a Senate Commerce Committee hearing. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), who introduced S. 913, the “Do-Not-Track Online Act of 2011,” which… Continue Reading
