The U. s Congress And Hipaa Benefits

The U. s Congress And Hipaa Benefits

The United States Congress passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act ( HIPAA ) in 1996 to place a national standard for the electronic transfer of health data, according to the Centers for Disease Control. It is a equitable set of standards that was created for the purpose of streamlining the flow of information in the healthcare system and to protect your personal health information. It also is prohibitively important for protecting your medical information. Unbefitting HIPAA, all health care providers, health plans and other health care services - - regardless of what state you live in - - must weld to the twin minimum standards for accessing and thing your medical information.

When visiting a doctor or other health care trained for the first time, you are required to complete a skeleton that details how your medical information will be used and bare to others. This important benefit ensures you are aware and in control of this process, protecting you and your privacy. Your rights subservient HIPAA are very straight forward.

As explained below, you have the right to:
Confidentiality of healthcare records
Access your personal and guarded healthcare information
Copy, amend and restrict access to your healthcare information
An examination of how your healthcare information has been unblocked, and to whom
File a complaint about how your healthcare information has been used; complaints can be directed to the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services
HIPAA has marked penalties, both civil and criminal, for anyone violating the HIPAA Privacy Rule.

These penalties were down pat to serve as an impetus for all health care providers, health plans and other health care services to check with the Privacy Directive and favor the rights of the patient. In June 2005, the U. S. Department of Legality ( DOJ ) clarified who can be held criminally answerable beneath HIPAA. Covered entities and obligatory individuals whom " knowingly " earn or detect individually identifiable health information in advance of the Administrative Simplification Regulations face a fine of up to $50, 000, as well as imprisonment up to one year. Offenses committed unbefitting mock pretenses acquiesce penalties to be added to a $100, 000 fine, with up to five years in prison. After all, offenses committed with the intent to sell, transfer, or use individually identifiable health information for commercial advantage, personal gain or malicious harm, permit fines of $250, 000, and imprisonment for up to ten years.

In addition to monitoring how and to whom your health station is reciprocal, HIPAA gives you the ability to find out who has accessed your health records for the previous six years, according to the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. And while there are some exceptions, it is an important portion of this federal law, as it establishes and protects your rights.

HIPAA regulations bestow to most health plans and to any healthcare provider who electronically transmits healthcare information. If you have any questions about your rights unbefitting HIPAA you can direct any of your questions about your doctor ' s privacy policies to your doctor or the office employer.