Today, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced a settlement with UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company (“UHIC”), a health insurer that provides insurance coverage to millions of individuals across the U.S., concerning a potential violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule’s right of access provision. The rule requires that patients be able to access their health information in a timely manner. This investigation marks the 45th Right of Access case to be resolved via voluntary settlement. UHIC agreed to implement a corrective action plan and pay $80,000 to resolve this investigation.
