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HIPAA Civil Penalties

Meaning

HIPAA Civil Penalties represent the monetary fines imposed by the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. These penalties serve as a crucial enforcement mechanism to uphold the integrity and confidentiality of protected health information (PHI), thereby reinforcing patient trust within the healthcare system, much like homeostatic mechanisms maintain physiological balance.