10 November 2010
WSB Atlanta
Nov. 10, 2010
There has seen some fairly intense coverage of a story out of Georgia related to confidential medical files found in an Alpharetta Doctor’s dumpster. According to the reports that State Health Care Fraud Control department is investigating, although we could find no reference to the state’s Attorney General getting involved, which is puzzling.
Georgia has one of the county’s toughest data destruction requirements at the state level, and, of course, state AGs are also now charged with enforcing HIPAA, which has certainly been breached. In fact, the incident rises to the level of “willful neglect” under HHS’s own words and, therefore, an HHS investigation is required by law.