This is a very good definition of what constitutes a HIPAA Business Associate:
A HIPAA Business Associate is any person or entity who performs or helps perform a function or activity involving the use or disclosure of protected health information (PHI) and the function or activity is being performed on behalf of a HIPAA Covered Entity…
Examples of common Business Associate functions include claims processing or administration data analysis, processing or administration, utilization review, quality assurance, billing benefit management, practice management…Business Associates do not need to be entities traditionally associated with health care services. For example, the following functions fall within the definition of a Business Associate: legal, actuarial, accounting, consulting, data aggregation management, administrative, accreditation or financial services…
Offered courtesy of http://www.nixonpeabody.com/linked_media/publications/HIPAALA_03152…
For a sample HIPAA/HITECH Business Associate Agreement, check out http://www.foxgrp.com/landing-pages/free-business-associate-agreeme… offered by the Fox Group, LLC.
Originally published by Online Therapy Institute, Inc. October 29, 2011 for the Online Therapy Institute Blog
