Skip to the main content.
Talk to sales Start for free
Talk to sales Start for free

2 min read

Is Faxage HIPAA compliant?

Is Faxage HIPAA compliant?

HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) is U.S. legislation created to improve healthcare standards. Covered entities (CEs) and their business associates (BAs) must be HIPAA compliant to protect the rights and privacy of patients and their protected health information (PHI). We know the  HIPAA industry is vast and that sending important documents securely to other providers or to patients is fundamental to patient care. This is especially true with the recent digital transformation in healthcare and the current need to function more remotely.

RELATED: Historic Expansions of Telehealth to Combat COVID-19

Today, we will determine if Faxage is HIPAA compliant or not, and we'll explain why you should consider using HIPAA compliant email instead.

 

Free Whitepaper "Kill the Fax"

About Faxage

Only available in the U.S. and Canada, Faxage is one of several online fax service providers that offer fax numbers for sending and receiving faxes through a web portal, by email, and/or even via mobile apps. Faxage offers services through all platforms as well as API faxing. The company offers several individual and business plans depending on client needs. Furthermore, unlimited users may share a single fax line. Finally, it is possible to keep your existing fax number.

 

Faxage and the business associate agreement

A BA is a person or entity that performs certain functions or activities that involves the use or disclosure of PHI on behalf of a CE. In this instance, Faxage is a BA for a healthcare organization if it transmits or stores PHI. RELATED: Is a Name PHI? Generally, the HIPAA Privacy Rule allows CEs to disclose PHI to a BA if they receive assurance that the information is protected through a signed business associate agreement (BAA). All Faxage plans come with HIPAA compliance standards in place; a BAA is available as long as a CE emails support to request one.

 

Faxage and security

On its website, the company provides a HIPAA Faxing Checklist to help CEs ensure HIPAA compliance while using Faxage. Cybersecurity that Faxage offers includes:
  • Fax auditing
  • Encryption for all web, email (in motion), and API faxing
  • PGP encryption for email sending and receiving
  • Secure print to faxing print driver
  • Password-protected incoming PDFs or email links.
CEs decide protection levels for email faxing and may ask for added email security. Also, a password is required for clients to log into their accounts. RELATED: Two-Factor Authentication: What is It, and How Does It Work? Not much information is available on Faxage’s user authentication or password policies.

 

Is Faxage HIPAA compliant?

The BAA is a key component of HIPAA compliance and Faxage offers a BAA. Without it, a CE is liable for a breach or HIPAA violation, which is why signing one is critical. RELATED: Healthcare Data Breaches – A Haunting Reality Furthermore, Faxage displays stringent cybersecurity practices on its website and seems to understand what HIPAA compliance means. Conclusion Faxage is HIPAA compliant.

 

HIPAA compliant email—a better alternative to fax

However, rather than waste time and energy with physical and electronic faxing, CEs should stick to sending and receiving important documents through HIPAA compliant email. RELATED: Fax Machines Are Terrible for Healthcare – Here’s Why Paubox will not only sign a BAA but will also work tirelessly to keep you safe without any added steps for the sender or recipient. With  Paubox Email Suite, CEs have all outbound email (and file attachments) encrypted by default; users can send messages from existing email platforms (such as  Microsoft 365 and  Google Workspace). Emails are delivered directly to your recipients’ inboxes—no passwords or portals are required. When you need to send documents that contain PHI, HIPAA compliant email is the most secure method available.
 
Try Paubox Email Suite for FREE today.

Subscribe to Paubox Weekly

Every Friday we'll bring you the most important news from Paubox. Our aim is to make you smarter, faster.