Article Categories
» Arts & Entertainment
» Automotive
» Business
» Careers & Jobs
» Education & Reference
» Finance
» Food & Drink
» Health & Fitness
» Home & Family
» Internet & Online Businesses
» Miscellaneous
» Self Improvement
» Shopping
» Society & News
» Sports & Recreation
» Technology
» Travel & Leisure
» Writing & Speaking

  Listed Article

  Category: Articles » Health & Fitness » Article
 

Overview of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)




By Malcolm Brown

Congress enacted the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in 1996. The purpose of this law is to protect private individual health information from being disclosed to anyone without the consent of the individual. Except under unusual circumstances, the consent needs to be in writing.

However, there are some exceptions to the consent provision. The consent provision does not apply in the following situations:

- Treatment - Billing - Quality assurance - Peer review - Business planning activities - Staff training - Required reporting to public health agencies - Certain emergency situations - Research studies that have obtained a wavier from the Institutional Review Board (IRB)

Research

Private health information can be used in research studies if it is "de-individualized" so that the identity of the individual cannot be ascertained from the information disclosed. For example, if you were conducting a study of the lung problems suffered by New Yorkers after the 911 terrorist attacks, it would be permissible to identify a patient as, a 50 year old, 5'11', 175 lb., while male from New York City with high blood pressure.

Marketing

Health care providers are prohibited from selling or using their patient or enrollees lists to market products from a third party. However, they can use their list to communicate with or sell their own services to their list members. Great care must be taken to restrict access when using online collaboration, such as an intranet.

Business Associates

All business associates, vendors or other contractors that use the health care provider's facility must sign a contract stating that they understand and agree to be bound by HIPAA regulations. The health care provider can be held responsible for the actions of the business associate if they did not sign a contract or there was a history of abuse and the health care provider did noting about it.

Individual Rights

Under HIPAA, individuals have the right to:

- Notice of the health provider's privacy practices - Request restrictions on who is allowed to access their health information - Access, inspect or copy their personal health information - Request an accounting of all disclosures of their health information - Request corrections or amendments to their health information

Health Care Providers Responsibilities

Health care providers are required to:

- Provide security for both paper and electronic individual health information - Institute a complaint process to investigate complaints - Train staff on the law

The HIPAA regulations allow for both civil monetary and criminal penalties for violations of the act.


 
 
About the Author
Malcolm Brown is Vice President of Trichys, providers of intranets and extranet solutions for health care and HIPAA compliance.

Article Source: http://www.simplysearch4it.com/article/22093.html
 
If you wish to add the above article to your website or newsletters then please include the "Article Source: http://www.simplysearch4it.com/article/22093.html" as shown above and make it hyperlinked.



  Some other articles by Malcolm Brown
Options for setting up (building) an intranet or extranet
Setting up an intranet or extranet can be as easy as purchasing access through an application service provider (ASP), purchasing and installing third-party ...

Extranets for Advertising Agencies
Ideally, clients and agencies have aligned interests, and they usually do. Today there are real challenges to that important alignment, forcing clients and agencies to look for new and better ways to collaborate. Enter easy-to-use, web ...

  
  Recent Articles
Hypnosis – 5 WONDERFUL Steps to Quit Smoking Today for a HEALTHY Living
by pradeep aggarwal

The Importance of Foods to fight Cold Sores
by Robert H Black

The Benefits of Cleansing Your Body
by Dr. Robert Fleishmann

The Risk Of Drug-coated Stents Can Be Managed
by Ng Peng Hock

What So Great About GL Diet?
by Ng Peng Hock

Does Salt Matter Your Heart Health?
by Ng Peng Hock

3 Smart Ways to Live Longer
by David Daniel

What Are Designer Eggs Related To Heart Disease?
by Ng Peng Hock

Nosebleeds - Bloody Nose - The simple facts and the cures
by Robert W. Benjamin

Your Great Goal in Life A Healthy and Fit YOU
by Ismael D. Tabije

Building Up Strong and Shapely Legs
by Ismael D. Tabije

Enhance Your Health through Internal Cleanliness
by Ismael D. Tabije

What If You Have A Fatty Liver?
by Ng Peng Hock

Hair extension pictures will show you the wonders of hair extension
by Anne foster

Exercises for Sagging Facial Muscles and Hollow Cheeks
by Ismael D. Tabije

Pushing the Limits of One's Life: Be Fit Up to 100 Years
by Ismael D. Tabije

Can't connect to database