The HIPAA Privacy Rule

The U. S. Department of Health and Human Services published a bulletin on September 2, 2005 that addressed “HIPAA privacy and disclosures in emergency situations” (Department of Health & Human Services [DHHS], 2005, p. 1). According to this bulletin, patient information can be shared in emergency situations to provide treatment. Information may also be shared if it is necessary to “identify, locate and notify family members, guardians, or anyone else responsible for the individual’s care of the individual’s location, general condition, or death” (DHHS, 2005, p. 1). Finally, information may be shared if the patient is found to be in imminent danger or if the individual has agreed to be included in the facility directory

US Congress created the Hipaa bill in 1996 because of public concern of how their private information was being used. It is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which Congress created to protect confidentiality, privacy and security of patient information. It was also for health care documents to be passed electronically. Hipaa is a privacy rule, which gives patients control over their health information. Patients have to give permission any healthcare provider can disclose any information placed in the individual’s medical records. It helps limit protected health information (PHI) to minimize the chance of inappropriate disclosure. It establishes national-level standards that healthcare providers must comply with and strictly investigates compliance related issues while holding violators to civil or criminal penalties if they violate the privacy of a person’s PHI. Hipaa also has boundaries for using and disclosing health records by covered entities; a healthcare provider, health plan, and healthcare clearinghouse. It also supports the cause of disclosing PHI without a person’s consent for individual healthcare needs, public benefit and national interests. The portability part of Hipaa guarantees patients health insurance to employees after losing a job, making sure health insurance providers can’t discriminate against people because of health status or pre-existing condition, and keeps their files safe while being sent electronically. The Privacy

The HIPAA regulations define security as the health care providers are accountable for maintaining the confidentiality of individually identifiable health care information or the Patient Health Information(PHI). Excretion of the HIPAA Security Rule surrounds the following three vital shields for PHI in electronic form

In the unit where Andrew is located there is a white board the staff use. It lists Andrews name, diagnosis, room number, and important activities for the shift. How might this be a HIPPA violation or confidentiality issue?

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a set of national standards created for the protection of health information; it is also known as a “Privacy Rule”. This rule was employed in 1996 by the US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to address the use and disclosure of an individual’s health information as well as the standards for the individual’s privacy rights to understand and control the manner in which their information is used.

With the healthcare that have changed as a result of the Hipaa privacy law, rules, and regulations. Hipaa privacy law is to protect the patient health records, and Privacy, governing access, use, and disclosure. With the privacy rule protection consistent set of standards affecting the providers, health plans. With noncompliance or penalties want to contact the authority, law enforcement.

Even though hipaa violations are an important standard in preventing many individuals from causing several breaches of information from getting out, it is important to work on a strategies within several health care organizations that will work with the privacy rules regarding violation laws. “Jill Granger & Laura Cataldo (2013) reports When working in the healthcare setting, it is important to consult with the guidelines established by one's institution and to participate in any training programs to insure that the appropriate steps are being taken to maintain privacy. There are also a variety of additional resources available from the federal government and professional organizations to assist in the training process that may be especially

practitioners in the United States, previous legal protections at the federal, tribal, state, and local

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act also known as HIPAA was first signed into law on the federal level in 1996. Since it was signed into law it has had a huge effect on patient’s privacy, healthcare workers and even insurance company’s. “HIPAA is intended to improve efficiency throughout health care and requires that health care providers adhere to standardized national privacy and confidentiality protections.” (OMA p .236). It’s an invaluable tool that has created a standard of compliance across the healthcare field.

Another law and regulation currently faced by the Center for Disease Control is Health Information Privacy (HIPAA). "The HIPAA Privacy Rule provides federal protections for personal health information held by covered entities and gives patients an array of rights with respect to that information" (US Department of Health and Human Services). All of us believe our medical and other health information is private. Most of us believe our health information should be protected. We want to know who has that information. The privacy gives a person rights over his health information and sets rules and limits on who can look at it. This is a federal law. Health plans and most health care providers must follow these laws. There are organizations that do not have to follow the Privacy and Security Rules. Those organizations include life insurers, employers, many schools, school districts, and many law enforcement agencies. Other organizations are included.

While I understand the need for both, I think that Congress should make HIPAA the law of the land with regards to medical privacy. Every individual’s rights and information should have the same level of protection no matter where in the United States they are located. Not only would a universal law help to eliminate the confusion between states, it would also remove a few of the barriers associated with universal healthcare. With better communication across state lines, patients will be able to send and receive information in a timely manner improving patient outcomes and quality.

Ten years ago after much challenges and questionable skepticism, the HIPAA policy became effective and has been shaping healthcare one regulatory policy at a time. The evolution of the HIPAA privacy act helped establish the HIPAA Security Rule which was published in 2003 and became effective in 2005, and then eventually led to the HIPAA Enforcement Rules and the Breach Notification Rule. With it joint fortification of the 2009 HITECH Act and HIPAA’s modifications to regulations, it was released in January 2013 to the industry (American Health Information Management Association, 2013).

The right to receive a notice of privacy practices - Patients have the right to receive a notice explaining how a provider or health plan uses and discloses their health information.

HIPPA is a rule that helps protects a patient’s privacy when it comes to their health or medical information. It is also known as a security rule that helps in protecting electronic health information as well. As in the health care patient safety and confidentiality is an important rule to follow at all times. A standard of HIPPA is privacy. When it comes to privacy it is meant by protecting a patient’s medical information in any form needs to be controlled at all times. It is a rule that is balanced and used to protect the disclosure of the patient’s health information that is needed for patient care and treatment. It is important that any person working in the health care setting is aware of this rule as it is important to follow when

Identity theft has always been in the back of my mind whenever I use my debit card but I wasn’t too concerned about my health information until I learned about HIPAA. It is a very important set of rules and standards that protects our privacy.