HIPAA

What Is HIPAA?

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a federal law that was enacted in 1996 to protect the privacy of individuals’ health information. It sets standards for the use and disclosure of protected health information (PHI) and establishes safeguards to ensure that PHI is used and disclosed appropriately. HIPAA also requires covered entities, such as health care providers, health plans, and health care clearinghouses, to implement administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of PHI.

Description

HIPAA is a federal law that protects the privacy of individuals’ health information and sets standards for the use and disclosure of protected health information (PHI).

Usage and Examples

HIPAA applies to all health care providers, health plans, and health care clearinghouses. Covered entities must comply with HIPAA regulations, which include implementing administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of PHI. For example, a health care provider must have a secure system in place to store and transmit PHI, and must limit access to PHI to only those individuals who need it to perform their job duties. Additionally, a health plan must have policies and procedures in place to ensure that PHI is used and disclosed appropriately.