Long Term Care & Senior Living Blog

Advocate Health Care Network, the largest fully-integrated health care system in Illinois, agreed to the largest HIPAA Settlement to be paid by a single entity for potential penalties in the amount of $5.55M. The alleged long term non-compliance resulting in this settlement included four failures to comply with HIPAA including: failure to adequately conduct risk assessments, failure to limit physical access to ePHI, failure to obtain Business Associate Agreements, andfailure to safeguard an unencrypted laptop from an unlocked car overnight.

Both Chambers of the Illinois legislature recently passed Senate Bill 1912 (Raoul, D-Chicago; Sims, D-Chicago) and transmitted the proposed law to the Governor, who has 60 days to take action. The proposed law would create strict requirements and harsh penalties for the failure of a settling party to timely effectuate settlement payment. The Bill would amend the Code of Civil Procedure and create new requirements for settlements in civil cases seeking money damages for personal injury, wrongful death, or any other civil remedy.

Sandberg Phoenix & von Gontard is pleased to announce the Long-term Care Team comprised of Associates and Shareholders from the Health Law Practice Group. The team focuses its practice on the defense of health care providers in the long-term care industry including Skilled Nursing Facilities, Assisted Living Facilities, Residential Care Facilities, Group Homes, Intermediate Care Facilities for the Developmentally Disabled and Home Health Agencies. Our mission is to continue providing exceptional client service through personal attention, education, and maintaining a presence in the community of Long-term Care groups and associations. As part of this mission, the Long-term Care Team will be posting blog entries to update clients and industry professionals on changes and important news regarding legal issues in the long term care industry.