You have 3 more months to bring your facility into compliance with a new federal identity theft rule requiring ASCs, hospitals and other entities to develop programs to identify, detect and prevent potential threats of identity theft.
The Federal Trade Commission will delay enforcement of the "Red Flags Rule," set to take effect Aug. 1, until Nov. 1, to give small businesses and other entities more time to "develop and implement written Identity Theft Prevention Programs," the agency announced this week. Over the next 3 months, the FTC says it will "redouble its efforts" to provide "additional resources and guidance to clarify whether businesses are covered by the Rule and what they must do to comply."
The anti-fraud rule applies to "creditors" and "financial institutions," the definitions of which are broad enough to include doctor’s offices, hospitals and ASCs. The FTC says it’s extending the deadline for enforcement to help small businesses and entities with a low risk of identity theft understand their obligations under the rule.
Resources are available at the FTC’s main Red Flags Web site and its FAQ page.
—Irene Tsikitas
