HIPAA Law of 1996
Timothy Glover
HCA210 Introduction to Health Care
Martha Schlagel
02/26/2012

HIPAA Law of 1996

HIPAA was enacted on April 26, 1996 to establish a set of national standards for the protection of certain health information. Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information (a.k.a. the Privacy Rule). HIPAA addresses the use and disclosure of individual health information, a.k.a. Protected Health Information. HIPAA establishes standards for privacy rights and controls how an individual’s health information is used and disclosed.

Health and Human Services (HHS) Standards establishes standards and guidelines for the electronic exchange, privacy, and security of Protected Health Information.
The Privacy Rule and the HHS Standards collectively are called the Administrative Simplification provisions.

HIPAA applies to all covered entities that electronically transmit medical information such as billing, claims, enrollment or eligibility verification * Health Plans * Health Care Clearinghouses * Health Care Providers * Business Associates

Protected Health Information (PHI) is any health information that contains any of a number of patient identifiers including name, Social Security number, telephone number, medical record number or zip code. The regulations protect all PHI in any form (electronic, paper-based, oral) that is stored or transmitted by a covered entity.
De-Identified Health Information is health information neither identifies nor provides a reasonable basis to identify the individuals. There are NO restrictions on the use or disclosure of de-identified health information.

Uses and disclosure of HIPAA are posed that a covered entity may not use or disclose PHI unless the privacy rule permits or requires it; or the individual (or the individual’s authorized representative)