For More Information Escaping HIPAA: A Reality Check [Posted 02/06/03] Former California Supreme Court Justice Supports National MICRA [Posted 02/06/03] National MICRA Under Attack [Posted 02/04/03] Take CMA's 2003 Professional Liability Insurance Survey [ONLINE] [PDF] MICRA's Basic Provisions [Posted 01/31/03] California's MICRA Cap Sets Model for the Nation [Posted 01/17/03]

HIPAA’s privacy rule requires that physicians inform each patient of their privacy practices in a written notice. CMA members can get PrivaPlan’s "notice of privacy practices" template free at the CMA members-only website. Members can download the template, which is included in ON-CALL document #1603, at http://www.cmanet.org/logon. Nonmembers can purchase this and other ON-CALL documents for $2 per page at the CMA online bookstore.

As the first HIPAA compliance deadline nears, CMA wants to make sure that physicians have all the information they need to plan and execute their compliance plans. Although CMA has made a number of overview documents and sample forms available online, physicians should be aware that there is a lot more to HIPAA compliance than can be conveyed through CMA’s ON-CALL system.

The privacy-practices template is just a sample of the invaluable information available to physicians on the CMA/PrivaPlan HIPAA Compliance ToolKit CD. The ToolKit also includes a step-by-step compliance plan and California-specific forms, policies, and procedures. (For pricing and ordering information, see the article "‘Escaping’ HIPAA: A Reality Check.")

CMA thanks PrivaPlan for allowing this template to be added to the extensive HIPAA information available to members free through ON-CALL. As with all ON-CALL documents, this information is copyrighted and should not be duplicated or distributed without permission.

Contact: CMA’s HIPAA Hotline, 415/882-3311 or legalinfo@cmanet.org.