Consequences for HIPAA violations can often be quite harsh. If someone has breached the HIPAA privacy regulations – even without any malicious intent, civil penalties are applicable: $100 per violation for unawareness, a minimum of $1,000 for reasonable cause, a minimum of $10,000 if willful neglect is present and then rectified, and finally, a minimum of $50,000 for individuals who act with willful neglect and ignore the issue.
| Digital ExclusiveL. Francesca Ferrari, LAc, DMQ, DTCM
L. Francesca Ferrari is an associate dean of Medical Qigong Science at Five Branches University in Santa Cruz, Calif., and maintains a private practice in Monterey Bay. For more information, please visit www.francescaferrari.com.