HIPAA Blog

[ Wednesday, March 09, 2011 ]

 

Sudden Thought: Does Cignet even really exist? Two weeks ago, the first ever real HIPAA civil penalty was handed down, and it was HUGE. $4.3 Million. That ain't no party, that ain't no disco, that ain't no foolin' around. Cignet, which I thought was a health insurer, which I've heard described as a hospital system, and which Modern Healthcare says is a company with a health plan and 4 physician practice offices, never responded to patient requests for records. They never responded or cooperated with HHS. They eventually delivered the records, but never gave an explanation to the patients regarding the delay. They haven't been quoted in any of the press releases relating to the various stories. They did not respond to requests for comments from Modern Healthcare.

Sorry, but that's all crazy. It makes no sense. Why aren't they out there with PR people, or even their own officers and employees, trying to explain themselves? What company acts this way? What "physician office" acts this way?

I can understand them screwing up in the first place. I can even understand them not cooperating with OCR (really stupid, but it happens sometimes, and I can understand it even if I -- and anyone who knows anything about HIPAA -- would advise strongly against it). But at this point, they're the talk of the HIPAA universe. And they haven't made a peep.

So I'm wondering if it's some Orwelllian false front to get people serious about HIPAA compliance. Maybe I've been reading too much Descartes, or watching too much Charlie Sheen; or maybe I need to go back on my meds. But seriously, I'd have expected a full-blown PR effort on Cignet's part to explain how the uncooperative fools have been sacked and replaced with people who really, really care about HIPAA and privacy. Maybe try to blame it on BP. I dunno, something.

You gotta admit, this whole Cignet silent treatment is just odd.

Jeff [11:24 PM]

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