The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued its report to Congress on HIPAA compliance for the 2021 calendar year. The report identified an uptick in HIPAA complaints.
The Office of Civil Rights (OCR) received 34,077 new complaints in 2021 alleging violations of the HIPAA rules. This was an increase of 25% from the number of complaints received in 2020, and a 39% increase from 2017 to 2021. Most complaints were resolved before a formal investigation.
OCR engaged in many outreach activities to increase education about HIPAA enforcement. Visits to the OCR’s HIPAA pages increased from 2020 to 2021.
A copy of the full report, with statistics on breaches, may be accessed by clicking here.