Business associates — who are you?

It’s never too late to learn the actual definition of a business associate (BA) when it comes to HIPAA.

A BA, as defined in HIPAA, means a person who “performs functions or activities on behalf of, or certain services for, a covered entity that involve the use or disclosure of individually identifiable health information,” according to HHS.

Examples of business associates include:

• Third party administrators
• Pharmacy benefit managers for health plans
• Claims processing or billing companies
• Transcription companies
• Persons who perform legal, actuarial, accounting, management, or administrative services for covered entities and who require access to protected health information

Reproduced from [name of publication] © 2008 HCPro, Inc., 200 Hoods Lane, Marblehead, MA 01945. 781/639-1872. www.hcpro.com. Used with permission.

About the Author

Reed Tinsley CPA

This article is written by Reed Tinsley, a Houston, TX-based CPA with over 30 years of experience advising physicians and medical practices across Texas and the United States. Reed holds certifications as a Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA), Certified Healthcare Business Consultant (CHBC), and Certified Financial Planner (CFP), specializing exclusively in the healthcare sector. He is a published author, nationally recognized speaker, and trusted advisor to physicians on accounting & tax, practice management, and financial planning. Schedule a Free Consultation.