Abusing HIPAA

A nursing home in Florida has recently invoked HIPAA to protect its employees against a criminal investigation regarding the sexual abuse of an elderly patient who suffers from advanced dementia. This shocking abuse of the rights guaranteed by HIPAA is the first to have garnered national media attention, but it is far from the first time this bill has been used to benefit abusers at the expense of the abused.

Signed into law in 1996, a cornerstone of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is its prohibition against sharing healthcare information without the express permission of the patient. Designed to protect the patient, this piece of the bill has now been misused to shield companies against legal action when patients suffer mistreatment or abuse.

This gross misinterpretation of HIPAA is but one of the many reasons you need an experienced attorney on your side if you suspect a loved one is experiencing any type of nursing home abuse or neglect.

The Phoenix nursing home attorneys at Cullan & Cullan know how to investigate allegations of mistreatment to identify its perpetrators, and how to hold those parties accountable for their actions. We are prepared to fight tooth and nail for the protection of your loved one and to take your case as far as necessary to see that justice is served.

If you are in need of a nursing home attorney in Phoenix or surrounding areas of Arizona, please contact Cullan & Cullan at (602) 397-7600 to schedule a free consultation today.