Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
HIPAA is a U.S. law that protects a patient’s health information. It makes sure that medical records and other personal health data stay private and secure. The law has a few main parts, like the Privacy Rule, which sets limits on who can see and use patient information. It also has a Security Rule for electronic records.
The goal is to keep your medical information safe while still letting doctors and hospitals share what they need to for your care.
Examples
- A doctor’s office sending records to a new specialist: The patient’s consent lets the first doctor send their health info to the new doctor. This is allowed under the law for “treatment.”
- A hospital sharing patient data for billing: A hospital can give a patient’s info to an insurance company so they can get paid for a service. This is allowed for “payment.”
- A clinic training staff on patient privacy: A clinic needs to train all its staff, from doctors to receptionists, on how to handle patient info the right way to follow HIPAA. This is part of the “administrative safeguards” needed by the law.
Context
HIPAA was passed in 1996 to make it easier for people to keep health insurance when they change jobs. Over time, as more records became digital, the law was updated to focus on the privacy and security of a person’s health data. It gives patients more power over their information, like the right to get a copy of their medical records.
The law applies to health plans, hospitals, doctors’ offices, and other groups that work with patient health info. Violating HIPAA can lead to serious fines and penalties. The rule helps make sure that a patient’s personal health information, called PHI, is kept safe from prying eyes.
