Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
A 1996 federal law is known as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). It aims for two main things. By prohibiting discrimination based on pre-existing conditions and other factors, it first aims to increase access to health insurance for individuals and their families. Second, it aims to make the healthcare system work better and more efficiently by setting national standards for electronic healthcare transactions like sharing health information.
The terms “protected health information” (PHI) and “privacy” are also included in the provisions of HIPAA to safeguard patients’ health information. The Privacy Rule and Security Rule of HIPAA must be adhered to by covered entities like healthcare providers, health plans, and healthcare clearinghouses. The Protection Rule lays out principles for the utilization and divulgence of PHI, while the Security Rule lays out norms for defending electronic PHI (ePHI).
Also, HIPAA furnishes people with specific privileges concerning their PHI. These freedoms incorporate the option to get to and get a duplicate of their PHI, the option to demand that their PHI be revised or rectified, and the option to document a protest if they accept their privileges have been disregarded.