The Heath Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 of the United States was framed to protect the medical interests of the citizens and help them protect their personal and medical information. It gives them greater control over their medical records and allows them to decide whom to share their information with and when. The act clearly dictates that the right of viewership is in the hands of the owner of the information. The owner of the information is allowed to complain if the information has been misused or compromised.

All violations of HIPAA are taken very seriously and the penalties can be very severe, depending on the seriousness of the crime committed. In case you find that your privacy has been breached, or your information compromised or stolen or misused, follow the below mentioned instructions to lodge a formal complaint with the authorities.

– Fill up the form

The complaint form can be obtained from the website Health Information Privacy or the Office for Civil Rights(OCR) under the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Mention all your particulars, name, phone numbers, email address and residential address. Also mention the name, phone numbers, email address and residential address of the alleged offender or offending party. Describe your problem or speculation in brief. Sign and put the date. You may also skip the form and prepare a written complaint. The form, however, makes the filing simpler.

– File the complaint

File the complaint with the filled up form or a written complaint within 180 days of the occurrence of the violation. Any delay in reporting the incident will be taken up by the secretary of the OCR.

– Submit your complaint

Each area would have an exclusive OCR. Look up for the one in your area. Fax or mail the filled up form or a written complaint to the OCR in your area. You may also email your complaint to OCRComplaint@hhs.gov.

4. The complaint is taken up

The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) may decide whether to take up the complaint formally or informally.

5. Guilty or not

If the offending party is found to be guilty, they may be issued a fine up to $50,000. Misuse of information, sale of information for monetary gains, stealing and assuming identity, these are all considered very serious. When done with ignorance or when corrected within a stipulated time frame, they fetch smaller and less severe punishments. When done intentionally, the offender or the offending party can be fined heavily and may even be sent to prison.

The system gives full authority to an individual to be the owner of his own information. The misuse of the information by another individual, insurance part or healthcare provider is a pretty serious offense. While the seriousness of the offense is decided by the OCR and the Department of HHS, you should not be a silent spectator if your information has been robbed. File the complaint against the erring party to get justice.

For more information, please visit our hipaa violations website.

For more information, please visit our hipaa violations website http://www.hipaaviolations.com

Author Bio: For more information, please visit our hipaa violations website.

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: hipaa violations,,Violations of HIPAA Health Insurance