What does the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 govern?

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 primarily governs patient privacy and the sharing of patient information. HIPAA was established to protect an individual's medical records and other personal health information. It sets national standards to safeguard sensitive patient data from being disclosed without the patient's consent or knowledge.

Under HIPAA, healthcare providers, health plans, and healthcare clearinghouses must comply with regulations that dictate how patient information can be shared, stored, and used. This includes the adoption of administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to protect health information and the establishment of patient rights regarding access to their health information.

While the act has implications for other areas of healthcare, such as billing procedures and operational standards, its core focus is on privacy and the security of personal health information, ensuring patients' rights are respected in a broad range of healthcare interactions. The healthcare industry must adhere to these privacy regulations as they work with patient data, reinforcing the crucial importance of confidentiality in healthcare settings.