• Home
  • About
    ▼
    • Thomas Schaffer
    • Marilyn Levine
    • Laura Wilson
    • Hannah Tansel
  • Practice Areas
    ▼
    • Workers’ Compensation
      ▼
      • Ohio Benefits
      • Ohio Claims Process
      • Workers’ Compensation Settlements
      • Negligent Third-Party Workers’ Comp Claims
      • Work-Related Car Accidents
      • Common Injuries
        ▼
        • Occupational Diseases
        • Repetitive Strains
        • Construction Site Injuries
        • Manufacturing & Factory Injuries
        • Roofing Accidents
        • Ladder Falls
        • Scaffolding Accidents
      • Areas We Serve
        ▼
        • Sandusky
        • Fostoria
        • Oregon
        • Defiance
        • Fremont
        • Findlay
        • Maumee
        • Sylvania
        • Perrysburg
        • Bowling Green
    • Social Security Disability
      ▼
      • Eligibility Requirements
        ▼
        • Qualifying Due to Physical Impairments
          ▼
          • Spine & Back Injuries
          • Cancer
          • Fibromyalgia
          • Arthritis
        • Qualifying Due to a Mental Illness
      • Applying for Social Security Disability
      • Social Security Disability Appeals
      • Disability Benefits Over 50
      • Areas We Serve
        ▼
        • Sandusky
        • Fostoria
        • Oregon
        • Defiance
        • Fremont
        • Findlay
        • Maumee
        • Sylvania
        • Perrysburg
        • Bowling Green
    • Personal Injury
  • Resources
    ▼
    • FAQs
    • Videos
    • Blog
    • Guides
      ▼
      • Five Essential Steps to Take After Your Ohio Work Injury
      • Five Things to Know Before Applying for Social Security Disability
  • Testimonials
  • Contact
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Schaffer & Associates, LPA

Experienced, Compassionate And Dedicated To You.

free consultation

419-350-8277

  • Home
  • About
    • Thomas Schaffer
    • Marilyn Levine
    • Laura Wilson
    • Hannah Tansel
  • Practice Areas
    • Workers’ Compensation
      • Ohio Benefits
      • Ohio Claims Process
      • Workers’ Compensation Settlements
      • Negligent Third-Party Workers’ Comp Claims
      • Work-Related Car Accidents
      • Common Injuries
        • Occupational Diseases
        • Repetitive Strains
        • Construction Site Injuries
        • Manufacturing & Factory Injuries
        • Roofing Accidents
        • Ladder Falls
        • Scaffolding Accidents
      • Areas We Serve
        • Sandusky
        • Fostoria
        • Oregon
        • Defiance
        • Fremont
        • Findlay
        • Maumee
        • Sylvania
        • Perrysburg
        • Bowling Green
    • Social Security Disability
      • Eligibility Requirements
        • Qualifying Due to Physical Impairments
          • Spine & Back Injuries
          • Cancer
          • Fibromyalgia
          • Arthritis
        • Qualifying Due to a Mental Illness
      • Applying for Social Security Disability
      • Social Security Disability Appeals
      • Disability Benefits Over 50
      • Areas We Serve
        • Sandusky
        • Fostoria
        • Oregon
        • Defiance
        • Fremont
        • Findlay
        • Maumee
        • Sylvania
        • Perrysburg
        • Bowling Green
    • Personal Injury
  • Resources
    • FAQs
    • Videos
    • Blog
    • Guides
      • Five Essential Steps to Take After Your Ohio Work Injury
      • Five Things to Know Before Applying for Social Security Disability
  • Testimonials
  • Contact
  • Home
  • About
    • Thomas Schaffer
    • Marilyn Levine
    • Laura Wilson
    • Hannah Tansel
  • Practice Areas
        • Workers' Compensation
          • Ohio Benefits
          • Ohio Claims Process
          • Workers’ Compensation Settlements
          • Negligent Third-Party Workers’ Comp Claims
          • Work-Related Car Accidents
          • Common Injuries
            • Occupational Diseases
            • Repetitive Strains
            • Construction Site Injuries
            • Manufacturing & Factory Injuries
            • Roofing Accidents
            • Ladder Falls
            • Scaffolding Accidents
          • Areas We Serve
            • Sandusky
            • Fostoria
            • Oregon
            • Defiance
            • Fremont
            • Findlay
            • Maumee
            • Sylvania
            • Perrysburg
            • Bowling Green
        • Social Security Disability
          • Eligibility Requirements
            • Qualifying Due to Physical Impairments
              • Spine & Back Injuries
              • Cancer
              • Fibromyalgia
              • Arthritis
            • Qualifying Due to a Mental Illness
          • Applying for Social Security Disability
          • Social Security Disability Appeals
          • Disability Benefits Over 50
          • Areas We Serve
            • Sandusky
            • Fostoria
            • Oregon
            • Defiance
            • Fremont
            • Findlay
            • Maumee
            • Sylvania
            • Perrysburg
            • Bowling Green
        • Personal Injury
  • Resources
        • FAQs
        • Videos
        • Blog
        • Guides
          • Five Essential Steps to Take After Your Ohio Work Injury
          • Five Things to Know Before Applying for Social Security Disability
  • Testimonials
  • Contact
  • Home
  • About
    • Thomas Schaffer
    • Marilyn Levine
    • Laura Wilson
    • Hannah Tansel
  • Practice Areas
        • Workers' Compensation
          • Ohio Benefits
          • Ohio Claims Process
          • Workers’ Compensation Settlements
          • Negligent Third-Party Workers’ Comp Claims
          • Work-Related Car Accidents
          • Common Injuries
            • Occupational Diseases
            • Repetitive Strains
            • Construction Site Injuries
            • Manufacturing & Factory Injuries
            • Roofing Accidents
            • Ladder Falls
            • Scaffolding Accidents
          • Areas We Serve
            • Sandusky
            • Fostoria
            • Oregon
            • Defiance
            • Fremont
            • Findlay
            • Maumee
            • Sylvania
            • Perrysburg
            • Bowling Green
        • Social Security Disability
          • Eligibility Requirements
            • Qualifying Due to Physical Impairments
              • Spine & Back Injuries
              • Cancer
              • Fibromyalgia
              • Arthritis
            • Qualifying Due to a Mental Illness
          • Applying for Social Security Disability
          • Social Security Disability Appeals
          • Disability Benefits Over 50
          • Areas We Serve
            • Sandusky
            • Fostoria
            • Oregon
            • Defiance
            • Fremont
            • Findlay
            • Maumee
            • Sylvania
            • Perrysburg
            • Bowling Green
        • Personal Injury
  • Resources
        • FAQs
        • Videos
        • Blog
        • Guides
          • Five Essential Steps to Take After Your Ohio Work Injury
          • Five Things to Know Before Applying for Social Security Disability
  • Testimonials
  • Contact

Major HIPAA Overhaul to Create Better Outcomes for Clients and Attorneys

Home » Our Blog » Major HIPAA Overhaul to Create Better Outcomes for Clients and Attorneys

On December 10, 2020, the U.S. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) proposed vast changes to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Currently, the law makes it clear that patients are the owners of their own personal medical records. Medical entities and doctors are required to disclose medical records at patient request, in the format the patient requested, within a reasonable amount of time, and at a reasonable cost.

Despite best intentions, this has not always been the case. Anyone who has ever tried to request their medical records, or request records on behalf of someone else, has surely been met with hoops to jump through, long wait times, and high costs. These limitations do not go without repercussions, such as in the case of Annette Monachelli, who died of a brain aneurysm before CT scan orders could make their way through the system to the appropriate department.

Therefore, the goal of these changes is to make it easier to gain access to patient medical records. If put into practice, these changes are expected to empower patients, reduce administrative costs related to medical record retrieval, and better coordinate legal services and medical care.

Notice of Privacy Forms

Currently, HIPAA requires medical providers to keep a record of “notice of privacy practices” forms for 6 years after they’ve been signed. Instead, the newly suggested language for HIPAA describes an alternative, where healthcare providers merely need to inform patients of where privacy practices can be found. With nothing to be signed or saved, this change alone is estimated to save $3.2 billion over 5 years.

Roger Severino, director of HHS’ Office for Civil Rights claims keeping up with these forms only wastes resources and causes more harm than good. The language on the form confuses patients; some shared they thought they were signing away their right to privacy entirely. It also creates holes in treatment when patients don’t sign; cases have been reported of medical providers refusing treatment without these signatures.

Fast and Free Records

 Severino and his government counterparts stated they do not believe that “a patient’s personal medical records should be profit centers for providers”. Because of this, the HIPAA overhaul contains provisions for an electronic document system that patients can access and share free of charge. Records will be required to be uploaded to the system within 15 days of the request, shredding the previous allotment for wait time by half.

Patients will also be permitted to take photos, with their smartphone for example, of any of their records while at their provider’s office. This includes records such as x-rays and other types of scans. They will also be able to permit their doctors to request their medical records from another office.

These new rules and permissions are not only beneficial to patients, but also attorneys representing these patients in workers’ compensation, personal injury, Social Security cases, and more. Attorneys depend on medical records to effectively represent their clients in many types of cases. This sometimes requires paying large medical record retrieval fees that in turn fall on the client to reimburse. In addition, long wait times for these records creates problems for everyone involved. Timely receipt of accurate medical records can make or break a case.

The rule is open for public comment through mid-February. 180 days after that it will become final, however, enforcement of the new rule will not begin until another 240 days after publishing.

How Schaffer & Associates Can Help

Managing medical records is just one of the many frustrating aspects faced when trying to deal with a legal matter on your own. It’s a good idea to meet with an attorney if you’ve been injured at work or want to apply for Social Security Disability. At Schaffer & Associates, our experienced attorneys offer free consultations during which they can assess your case and help you begin applications and appeals processes.

Contact us online or by calling (419) 595-4608.

Primary Sidebar

We're Here to Help

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Connect With Us

3130 Executive Pkwy #910
Toledo, OH 43606
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2023 Schaffer & Associates LPA
Disclaimer Privacy Policy
Accessibility Statement(419) 664-4910