HIPPA

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) is a federal law that mandates national standards to safeguard sensitive patient health information from unauthorized disclosure. The HIPAA Privacy Rule, issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), enforces these requirements. Additionally, the HIPAA Security Rule protects a subset of the data covered by the Privacy Rule, ensuring its security.

The Privacy Rule governs how entities covered under HIPAA handle and disclose personal health information, also known as “protected health information” (PHI). "Covered entities" include individuals and businesses subject to these regulations. The Rule also safeguards individuals' rights to understand and control how their health information is used. Its primary aim is to protect people's health information while ensuring that essential data flow continues to support high-quality healthcare and public health. The Privacy Rule strikes a balance between allowing necessary access to health data and preserving individual privacy.

HIPAA is essential for enhancing the privacy of healthcare information. It plays a critical role in increasing personal privacy by safeguarding patient health details and preventing discrimination. The law secures the process of sharing confidential health information, streamlines administrative functions, and boosts overall efficiency within the healthcare industry. It ensures that covered entities use standardized code sets and nationally recognized identifiers. Additionally, HIPAA mandates robust security measures, such as strong passwords and data backup plans, to protect sensitive personal and health information. The Act also contributes to reducing medical errors and supports regular system audits, further strengthening the integrity of healthcare operations.