The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has begun Phase 2 of its HIPAA Audit Program. The scope of this national audit includes covered entities and business associates of various industries and sizes, and all covered entities and business associates are eligible to be audited. Employers offering plans subject to HIPAA, along with employers acting as business associates for covered entities, should review current HIPAA compliance efforts to make sure all requirements are addressed; watch for communications from OCR; and respond to any inquiries from OCR within the required time frames.
