HIPAA Compliant Medical Billing Services ensure the protection of patients’ sensitive health information by adhering to the strict regulations set forth by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Since its establishment by Congress in 1996, HIPAA has played a crucial role in safeguarding Protected Health Information (PHI), such as social security numbers, from unauthorized access and potential misuse.
HIPAA compliance is obligatory for two types of individuals or organizations – Covered Entities and Business Associates.
Covered Entities include:
Business Associates include medical billing solutions, medical billing outsourcing companies, data hosting firms, etc. Any individual or third-party organization handling ePHI (Electronic Protected Health Information) on behalf of healthcare providers qualifies as a business associate.
HIPAA is divided into three essential rules: the Privacy Rule, the Security Rule, and the Breach Notification Rule, all of which are designed to protect patient information and, ultimately, the patients themselves.
At Code Credentia, we provide HIPAA Compliant Medical Billing Services that focus on the electronic processing of claims. We place a strong emphasis on the HIPAA Security Rule, which outlines the necessary safeguards to protect ePHI. This rule requires the implementation of physical, technical, and administrative measures to ensure the security and confidentiality of ePHI.
The widespread awareness of HIPAA, fostered by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) in collaboration with the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR), has led to a greater understanding among providers of the importance of HIPAA compliance. At Code Credentia, we are committed to maintaining the highest standards of security and privacy in all aspects of our medical billing services.
Compliant Medical Billing
When you partner with Code Credentia, you’re not just choosing a service provider; you’re selecting a dedicated ally in maintaining the highest standards of privacy and security for your practice. Here’s what you can expect
We will assign a dedicated privacy and security officer to your practice, ensuring that you have expert oversight on all matters related to compliance and data protection.
Our team will work closely with you to develop comprehensive rules and regulations tailored to your practice, ensuring full compliance with HIPAA standards.
We believe that education is key. We provide thorough training for your staff on HIPAA policies, empowering them to understand and uphold these vital regulations.
While we work diligently to protect your data, we also prepare for the unexpected. We create recovery plans to swiftly address any potential data breaches, minimizing disruption to your practice.
When it comes time to dispose of electronic Protected Health Information (ePHI), we ensure that this is done securely and in compliance with regulations, safeguarding patient information at all times.
Our team conducts regular security incident checks and provides clear guidelines on how and when to report incidents to the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), keeping you informed and prepared.
Identifying risks, designating a security officer, implementing a security plan, training staff, and regularly reviewing HIPAA compliance measures.
Restricting access to facilities and devices containing ePHI, and implementing encryption mechanisms for data protection.
Ensuring the safety of electronic information, buildings, and equipment from unauthorized access, natural disasters, and other hazardous events.