U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA)

A U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) is a U.S. Federal Act that provides data privacy and security provisions for safeguarding medical information.

• Context:
  • It can establish U.S. Federal Standards for the handling of Personally Identifiable Information and PHI Data in Healthcare and Insurance Industries, focusing on Data Security, Data Privacy, and protection against Fraud and Theft.
  • It can streamline the flow and management of U.S. Healthcare Information, particularly in Administrative Processes and Clinical Processes.
  • It can address Coverage Limitations in Health Insurance in the United States, including Provisions related to Preexisting Medical Conditions and Health Insurance Portability.
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• Counter-Example(s):
  • Canadian Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).
  • Japan's Act on the Protection of Personal Information (APPI).
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• See: HIPPA Covered Entity, HIPPA Business Associate, Protected Health Information (PHI), Electronic Health Record, Personally Identifiable Information, Health Insurance in The United States, U.S. HHS, Business Associate Agreement (BAA).

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References

2021

• (Wikipedia, 2021) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_Insurance_Portability_and_Accountability_Act Retrieved:2021-10-25.
  • The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA or the Kennedy–Kassebaum Act ) is a United States federal statute enacted by the 104th United States Congress and signed into law by President Bill Clinton on August 21, 1996. It modernized the flow of healthcare information, stipulates how personally identifiable information maintained by the healthcare and healthcare insurance industries should be protected from fraud and theft, and addressed some limitations on healthcare insurance coverage. It generally prohibits healthcare providers and healthcare businesses, called covered entities, from disclosing protected information to anyone other than a patient and the patient's authorized representatives without their consent. With limited exceptions, it does not restrict patients from receiving information about themselves. It does not prohibit them from voluntarily sharing their health information however they choose, or – if they disclose medical information to family members, friends, or other individuals not a part of a covered entity – legally require them to maintain confidentiality. The act consists of five titles. Title I of HIPAA protects health insurance coverage for workers and their families when they change or lose their jobs. Title II of HIPAA, known as the Administrative Simplification (AS) provisions, requires the establishment of national standards for electronic health care transactions and national identifiers for providers, health insurance plans, and employers. Title III sets guidelines for pre-tax medical spending accounts, Title IV sets guidelines for group health plans, and Title V governs company-owned life insurance policies.

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