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SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/hipaa-civil-penalty-tiers

How many tiers exist for HIPAA civil penalties?

Four tiers based on level of culpability.

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  1. Two tiers
  2. Four tiers ✔
  3. Six tiers

Why: HIPAA civil penalties come in four tiers that rise with blame: did not know, reasonable cause, willful neglect fixed within 30 days, and willful neglect not fixed. The dollar amounts are adjusted for inflation every year.

Huh, didn't know that: The lowest tier covers violations the organization did not know about and could not reasonably have known about.

The dad joke
Why did the penalty chart take the stairs? It only goes up, one tier at a time.
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References

Answer: Four tiers. HIPAA civil penalties come in four tiers that rise with blame: did not know, reasonable cause, willful neglect fixed within 30 days, and willful neglect not fixed. The dollar amounts are adjusted for inflation every year.

  1. 45 CFR 160.404 (eCFR) www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-A/subchapter-C/part-160/subpart-D/section-160.404
    did not know and, by exercising reasonable diligence, would not have known that the covered entity or business associate violated such provision
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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