HIPAA Business Associate Contracts: the value of contracts for case managers

Case Managers are in the middle of the upcoming HIPAA regulation changes, with the issuance of the Final Privacy Rule. Every case obliges case managers to work with Individually Identifiable Health Information (IIHI) and Protected Health Information (PHI). The purpose of this article is to provide case managers in all practice settings with a clear understanding of a "Business Associate," of a "Covered Entity," and of the specifics of a Business Associate Contract. This information will demonstrate how case managers can benefit from the use of these contracts in their business life. As an essential component of an organization's compliance plan, Business Associate Contracts can become a sword or a shield. This article is particularly helpful to case managers in independent practice, as well as those who work for Covered Entities.