Business Associate HIPAA Checklist

Posted by HIPAA-Journal

As aBusiness Associate, it is important to be aware of which HIPAA compliance standards apply to your organization.

Do you have the correct procedures in place to avoid costly data breaches, HIPAA violations, and regulatory fines?

Find out now with our comprehensive HIPAA Checklist for Business Associates that has been compiled by leading compliance experts.

Use the form to download this checklist.

Non Compliance Is Not An Option

HIPAA compliance standards are enforced by HHS Office of Civil Rights, the Centres for Medicare and Medicaid, and the Federal Trade Commission.

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OSHA Launches Initiatives to Help Employers Develop and Implement Effective Health & Safety Programs

Posted by Steve Alder

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has announced new initiatives to help employers develop and implement effective health and safety programs and meet federal workplace safety requirements.

The Safety Champions Program

The Safety Champions Program has been launched to help employers develop and implement effective workplace safety and health programs to improve safety and health and prevent workplace injuries, illnesses, and deaths. While any employer can sign up to become a safety champion, the program is especially beneficial for small businesses seeking to develop a more effective safety and health program. The program provides a comprehensive framework of policies, guidance, and requirements to help employees enhance their safety and health management program.

The program incorporates the seven core elements of OSHA’s Safety and Health Program Recommended Practices – management leadership, worker participation, hazard identification & assessment, hazard prevention & control, education & training, program evaluation & improvement, and communication and coordination for host employers, contractors & staffing agencies – and provides employers with the tools they need to create an effective safety and health program.

There are three steps to the Safety Champions Program – Introductory, Intermediate, and Advanced – each of which is self-guided and self-paced. Participants may request a Safety Champion Special Government Employee (SGE) to assess their progress through the steps and their safety and health program. “The Department of Labor’s new Safety Champions Program exemplifies the Trump Administration’s commitment to supporting and empowering job creators,” U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer said. “By providing employers with these resources, we are putting American workers first and keeping them healthy and safe on the job.”

OSHA Cares Initiative

OSHA has also launched a new OSHA Cares Initiative, an agency-wide effort to help businesses meet federal workplace safety requirements and build strong and successful safety and health programs. The initiative is intended to show businesses that OSHA is here to help ensure their workplaces are safe and healthful, and to encourage them to reach out to OSHA for assistance and collaborate with the agency.

The program aims to empower employers to improve safety in the workplace, especially small to medium-sized businesses with unique safety and health challenges. This will be achieved by increasing access to OSHA’s experts and compliance assistance specialists, providing access to educational and training materials, and providing consistent workplace assistance during enforcement visits and meetings. OSHA’s Directorate of Enforcement Programs is also launching a training program to standardize how its Compliance Safety and Health Officers will offer real-time assistance during inspections and enforcement activities.

“We want to provide practical, real-time insight, equipping employers with the tools needed to improve safety and health,” said David Keeling, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health. “Through open dialogue, responsive support, and trusted resources, we can help workplaces move beyond compliance toward making sure workers go home safe.”

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Balance Autism Settles Class Action Data Breach Lawsuit

Posted by Steve Alder

Balance Autism has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit stemming from a security incident that exposed patient information. Altoona, Iowa-based Balance Autism identified a cybersecurity incident on or around March 17, 2025, that resulted in a data breach. Hackers had access to its network from March 11, 2025, to March 17, 2025, and obtained access to data such as names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, health insurance information, and Medicaid numbers. The data breach was reported to the HHS’ Office for Civil Rights as involving unauthorized access to the protected health information of 1,281 individuals.

A class action lawsuit – Bennett v. Balance Autism – was filed in the Iowa District Court for Polk County by plaintiff Andrea Bennett, individually and on behalf of other similarly affected individuals. The lawsuit alleged that the cybersecurity incident resulted from the defendant’s negligence in failing to implement reasonable and appropriate cybersecurity measures to protect sensitive data on its network. The lawsuit asserted claims for negligence, breach of implied contract, unjust enrichment, breach of fiduciary duty, and invasion of privacy. The defendant denies all claims and contentions in the lawsuit, including allegations of fault, wrongdoing, and liability; however, following mediation, a settlement was agreed that was acceptable to all parties to bring the litigation to an end.

Under the terms of the settlement, Balance Autism has agreed to pay for two years of credit monitoring and identity theft protection services and will accept claims from the affected individuals for up to $400 as reimbursement for out-of-pocket losses due to the data breach, and up to four hours of lost time at $20 per hour. Alternatively, instead of submitting a claim for reimbursement of losses and lost time, class members may submit a claim for a cash payment, which is estimated to be $50, but may be lower, depending on the number of claims received.

The deadline for exclusion and objection is May 1, 2026; the claims deadline is June 1, 2026; and the final approval hearing has been scheduled for June 12, 2026.

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