HHS will Hold National Conferences on HIPAA

     The U. S. Department of Health and Human Services will be holding four national conferences on HIPAA.  The one-day conferences will be held in San Diego, Atlanta, New York and Chicago and are designed to provide an unprecedented opportunity to hear from and interact with officials who developed HIPAA and will be responsible for interpreting and enforcing the rule. 
     HHS Office for Civil Rights will provide an expert faculty who will address questions from attendees during the question and answer session following their presentations.  The conferences will address the following topics:  the principles underlying the Privacy rule; how the preemption rules create a national floor of privacy protections;  who is a covered health care provider;  the implications of being an affiliated covered entity, a hybrid, or in an organized health care arrangement; "Business Associate" issues; and the Notice of Privacy Practices requirement.
      Information regarding the conferences, including registration and fees, may be found at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/conference.html .   If reasonable accommodations are needed due to a disability, such as conference materials in alternative formats, sign language interpreters, etc. contact ADA-HIPAA@hhs.gov at least 10 - 15 days before the conference.