HITECH HIPAA Business Associate Agreements with TPAs? knowledge?

[hrforme]

Has anyone else been getting these from TPAs/insurance brokers that deal with health insurance? I've gotten the bum's rush to sign these agreements quickly or am being told that as an employer we would be liable if we don't sign them. Neither TPA has done a great job explaining what it is or why we should sign it.

One TPA does COBRA admin for us. Other than knowing what our plan premiums are each year (they don't answer any coverage issues beyond premium payments), I don't see where they would ever have any PHI. The 2nd is our health insurance broker who at times would have access to benefits paperwork so I understand that one more.

Any thoughts?

 

[Betty3]

I don't work with employee benefits but some posters who do should be along shortly.

However, does this link help you to any extent - http://www.hipaasurvivalguide.com/hitech-act-summary.php

 

[cbg]

I haven't seen or heard of them but they wouldn't go to me; they'd go to our vendor management team.

 

[lda01]

Yep, just got a 10-page contract from our broker. The verbiage seems to be mostly protecting them. I had heard about these vendor "agreements " that would be required, but had no idea they would be so ponderous.