Privacy Officer (MMIS)

About The Role

The Privacy Officer ensures compliance with HIPAA and other privacy regulations, protecting patient information and overseeing organizational privacy practices. This position is contingent upon the award of a government contract.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage all aspects of privacy compliance, safeguarding PHI, educating staff, handling incidents, ensuring individual rights, and maintaining up-to-date policies and procedures.
• Ensure compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule and Security Rule.
• Develop, implement, and maintain privacy policies and procedures.
• Stay current with Federal and State privacy laws and regulations affecting Medicaid programs.
• Provide ongoing training and education to staff and contractors about privacy policies, procedures, and best practices.
• Foster a culture of privacy and security with the client.
• Investigate and respond to potential privacy breaches, including risk assessments and breach notification to affected individuals, regulators, and other required parties.
• Maintain thorough documentation of privacy incidents and agency response actions.
• Conduct regular risk assessments and audits to identify vulnerabilities and ensure the effectiveness of privacy controls.
• Recommend and implement corrective actions as needed.
• Oversee and respond to requests from the client regarding individual’s rights under HIPAA (e.g., access to records, amendments, accounting of disclosures).
• Serve as the primary point of contact for privacy matters with internal staff, Medicaid members, contractors, and regulators (e.g., HHS Office for Civil Rights).
• Work closely with IT, legal, compliance, and other departments to align privacy efforts across the Agency.
• Provide regular reports to Agency leadership on privacy compliance status, incidents, and improvements.
• Monitor third-party compliance with privacy requirements.

Requirements

• Five (5) years of professional experience in privacy compliance.
• Two (2) years of direct experience in HIPAA compliance.
• Knowledge and demonstrated experience with NIST, Federal Information Security policies/requirements, HIPAA, and other related State and Federal information privacy laws, security laws, and breach notification laws.
• A minimum of bachelor’s degree in information technology, health information management; or equivalent work experience.
• Certified in Healthcare Privacy and Security (CHPS) or equivalent certification.