HIPAA Business Associate Agreements

GibsonGuy · April 2003

I work for a small healthcare staffing company that just received its first Business Associate Agreement from one of our clients. My concern is that as these Ageements roll in, some will contain different requirements and I will have to constantly rewrite any P&P we implement to cover any additions. I found a standard Business Associate Agreement through the HHS website and it looks nothing like the one I received from the client, which I'm assuming was written by an attorney. Has anyone found a standard P&P to meet Agreement requirements?

FYI. I'm a chronic lurker and this is my first post, so be gentle!

Scott Ruth · April 2003

It looks like you found the HHS guidelines for the Business Associate Agreement on their website. Unfortunately, there are many methods to accomplish this task. The important thing is that the Agreement contain the core elements listed by HHS. If you have one you prefer over one you receive, you could send back the one you prefer with a cover letter explaining that you are requiring all of your Business Associates to execute the same Agreement.

GibsonGuy · April 2003

Thanks! I should have thought of that. Very few of our Clients are in a position to afford to have an attorney draft a Business Associate Agreement for them. I may send the boilerplate language from the HHS to them as a "favor" so that they all use the same agreement.

jimlegal · April 2003

We have everyone use our Business Associate Agreement. Most of the places we conduct business with cannot afford to have a costly Business Associate Agreement drawn up. Wish you well with your situation.

Gayle · January 2004

Does anyone have a sample privacy notice to employees??? Thanks for your help!

HIPAA Business Associate Agreements

Comments