Business Associate Agreement

What is Business Associate Agreement?

A Business Associate Agreement, or BAA, is a legal contract between a covered entity and a business associate. It is required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and helps to ensure that both parties are compliant with HIPAA regulations when handling protected health information (PHI). The BAA outlines the responsibilities and obligations of the business associate in protecting PHI and maintaining the privacy and security of the information.

What are the types of Business Associate Agreement?

There are two main types of Business Associate Agreements: external BAAs and internal BAAs. An external BAA is used when a covered entity engages a third-party vendor or service provider to perform certain functions or services involving PHI. This could include services such as data storage, data analysis, or claims processing. An internal BAA is used when a covered entity shares PHI with its own subsidiary or affiliate.

External BAA
Internal BAA

How to complete Business Associate Agreement

Completing a Business Associate Agreement involves several steps:

01
Review the BAA thoroughly to understand the terms and obligations.
02
Fill in the required information, such as the names and contact details of the covered entity and business associate.
03
Specify the purpose of the agreement and the services to be provided by the business associate.
04
Include provisions for safeguarding PHI and complying with HIPAA regulations.
05
Define the duration of the agreement and the termination terms.
06
Have both parties sign and date the BAA to make it legally binding.
07
Keep a copy of the signed BAA for record-keeping purposes.

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Video Tutorial How to Fill Out Business Associate Agreement

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Questions & answers

The agreement must describe permitted and required PHI uses for the business associate and state that the business associate “will not use or further disclose the protected health information other than as permitted or required by the contract or as required by law.”
HIPAA-covered entities must have a business associate agreement (BAA) in place with each of their partners to maintain PHI security and overall HIPAA compliance.
The HIPAA Rules generally require that covered entities and business associates enter into contracts with their business associates to ensure that the business associates will appropriately safeguard protected health information.
The purpose of a business associate agreement is to outline your BA's responsibility to keep your patients' PHI private and secure. The BAA sets forth the expectations and requirements of both parties – both you and the vendor, and of course, as a contract, it is a legally binding document.
What is a Business Associate Agreement? A Business Associate Contract, or Business Associate Agreement, is a written arrangement that specifies each party's responsibilities when it comes to PHI. HIPAA requires Covered Entities to only work with Business Associates who assure complete protection of PHI.
A business associate agreement establishes a legally-binding relationship between HIPAA-covered entities and business associates to ensure complete protection of PHI. This type of agreement is necessary if business associates can potentially access PHI during their work.