HIPAA Paper Requirements This paper should be between six (6) and eight (8) pages, written in APA format, using the sample paper posted in “Resources” folder in TRACS as a guideline. The 6 to 8 page limit is only for the body of your paper (this 6-8 page limit does NOT include the cover page or the reference page). Each student has been assigned a HIPAA topic by the instructor, and please refer to that file to see which topic has been assigned to you, posted along with this assignment. Your paper MUST be
created in Microsoft Word and submitted through the TRACS assignment page. Email
submissions and/or email attachments will NOT be accepted. Your paper MUST have a minimum of 5 references, appropriately cited, and on the reference page (please use scholarly references only – journals (paper or electronic), electronic newsletters, professional association or government websites). Wikipedia references are NOT allowed. Plagiarism will NOT
be tolerated. I have given plenty of time to all the students to complete this paper (the due date is April 7, 2016), so please note that NO extension will be provided. I have also posted a grading rubric for the HIPAA
Paper in TRACS. If you have not written a paper in a while and need help, please contact the university’s writing center
http://www.writingcenter.txstate.edu/ A cover page, parenthetical citations, and reference page should be used in your paper. The 6 to 8 page limit is only for the body of your paper (this 6-8 page limit does NOT include the cover page or the reference page). Specific APA features your paper should include are: 1) Cover page with information as shown on sample (pay attention to formatting – location of print on the page, capitalization, use of header/page numbering, etc.) 2) Headings and subheadings, as appropriate, throughout the paper 3) Double spacing with ½ inch indent in each new paragraph 4) 1” margins on top, bottom, left, and right 5) Text citations for all paraphrased or quoted material (use correct format for citations as shown in the sample paper). For each text citation, there should be an accompanying reference list entry. Do not include references on the reference list, if there is not a text citation for it in the paper. 6) Separate reference page at end of the paper, appropriately formatted (double spaced, flush left print for first line of each reference with hanging indent of ½ for additional lines within each reference). 7) Times New Roman or Arial print size 12 font. 8) One of your references will be the HIPAA legislation. It should be cited in the body of your paper as: (HIPAA, 1996). The corresponding reference page entry should be: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. Department of Health and Human Services. Your paper should NOT be a verbatim report of what appears in the Federal Register pages you will be using for research (no more than 20% of your paper can be taken directly from the regulation text).
I am interested in your interpretation of the regulations, discussion of what policies would need to
be developed, any consumer issues, and your summary of the comments and responses that you
will read in the Federal Register and other reference materials. Following and finding specific information in the regulations will, undoubtedly, be challenging. However, this is a major part of the assignment – getting familiar with how to find and read government issued policy. You need to learn to do this so that when confronted with it in the real world, you will know how to prepare your organization for implementation of programs, policies, and procedures that are needed in response to regulations. In order to understand the topic you are asked to report on, you will have to read and interpret the actual regulation text in the HIPAA legislation. You will also need to research your topic in the 12/28/2000 HIPAA Privacy – Final Rule (standards and preamble); the 8/14/02 Modification to the HIPAA Privacy Rule – Final Rule or other applicable HIPAA rules and updates. You will also need to see if your topic was one that was modified throughout the process, including the ARRA legislation. You will need to search for your topic in each of the sets of regulations to determine if it was modified. Read all public comments related to your topic in both the original regulation and the modified final rule. These comments should give you a sense of concerns that covered entities had about the rule. The responses to the comments are the government response to the comments. In some cases, the government agreed with the comments and made changes to the rule, and in other cases, it did not agree and no modifications were made.
HIPAA Paper’s Content Requirements
Steps 1-5: SHOULD BE 1 to 2 PAGES: 1. In your paper, introduce the topic and cite the HIPAA concept you were assigned to report on. 2. Summarize the intent of the specific part of the regulation you were assigned to research (in your
own words, what was the reason this was included in the regulation? What problems previously existed, or were expected, that called for this part of the regulation?) 3. Summarize (briefly and in your own words) the comments about your topic as presented in the regulation text. (There may be many similar comments, so discuss these in a summary format). 4. Summarize the response to the main comments. 5. Report on any modifications in your topic that were noted in the process from 2000-2002. If your assigned topic was not revised in the modified final rule or in the ARRA legislation, please mention this.
Steps 6-8: SHOULD BE REMAINDER OF YOUR PAPER: 6. Put yourself in the position of a Privacy Officer (not the same person as the HIM Director in this scenario) who has just learned of this new regulation. You are to describe what has to happen to implement the new regulation in your organization. Some of the items you should consider are: Who should be part of the team that assists you in making changes related to the new regulation? What new policies and procedures are needed? What kind of training and education would be required? Are there any new forms needed? Any changes to the computer system? How will you communicate the changes needed to the entire organization? How will you document any training and education that was provided? Are there any new costs anticipated as a result of implementing this regulation? Any staffing change required? Any specific training for specific positions in the organization? You may report on other pertinent items as well. This section should be the bulk of your paper and it should be written
in significant detail. 7. Comment on how different practice settings (hospitals, physician offices, clinics, insurance companies, etc.) might have to handle your topic in differing ways. 8. In conclusion, offer your personal opinion on the intent and effectiveness on your specific topic related to HIPAA. Identify how the regulation could be improved upon, if you believe the current regulation is not effective as written.