Abriel Buie

November 13, 2018

HIPAA Violation Lawsuit Webquest

In 2017, a man was charged with violating the Health Insurance Portability and

Accountability Act after being terminated from his job. After he had gotten the news that

his employers had planned for his termination, he began to look at patients records for

entertainment. He looked at records of his immediate supervisor, colleagues, high profile

patients, well-known movie stars, and people in public office. Although he never shared

any of the information that he saw because he knew what he was doing was wrong and

though if the information was never shared with anyone then there wasn't a problem

doing it. Dr. H had accessed over 300 patient records but was only charged with four

counts; he then hired an attorney. His attorney tried everything he could do to dismiss the

case for lack of knowledge of the law but the court refused, so he entered a guity plea. He

was then sentences to four months in prison, following a year of supervised probation,

and a $2,000 fine. Dr. H appealed the case.

I agree with Dr. H being charged with violating HIPAA. Although he never actually

shared tbe patients information to anyone, he shouldn't have ever evaded their privacy.

Regardless of what he claims not to be wrong or lack of knowledge of the law, he still

commited a federal offense. In my opinion, his sentence and probation time, including the
fine, was a decent punishment. I also agree with Dr. H no longer being able to work in the

medical field.