AIS.com posted this interesting report on proposals to wipe out the business associate concept in favor of sweeping application of the covered entity concept to all parties that handle protected health information except patients. Wouldn’t it be simpler for Congress to extend the HIPAA criminal and civil penalties to current business associates? It’s worth noting that these Patient Privacy articles posted on AIS.com often are written by Theresa Defino who has been helping me write the AFHO legislative reports for many years.