Compliance & Legal
Office for Civil Rights (OCR)
Also known as: OCR, HHS Office for Civil Rights
The HHS division that enforces HIPAA and investigates breaches and complaints.
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is the division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services responsible for enforcing the HIPAA Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Rules.
OCR investigates complaints, conducts audits, and negotiates settlements or imposes civil monetary penalties when it finds violations. Its published enforcement actions are a key source of guidance on what HIPAA compliance looks like in practice. What OCR can impose is in HIPAA violation fines and penalties.