The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is one of the benchmarks of the Clinton administration. It is one of the most comprehensive federal laws to date that governs the use of personal medical records.
Identification
Public law 104-191 created on August 21, 1996 during the 104th Congress created what is known as the HIPAA.
Features
This federal law includes a mandate to review each employee's access to Protected Health Information (PHI) in order to determine the level of access the employee needs, getting signed approval before releasing PHI and appointing an officer in charge HIPAA compliance.
Significance
This law prohibits the distribution of a patient's medical record unless sufficient evidence proves the requesting party has a reasonable right to information.
Warning
Failure to comply with federal HIPAA law will result in fines up to $250,000. Like many other healthcare violations, fines are higher where fraudulent intent is proven.
Potential
The spirit of HIPAA seeks to simplify the use of PHI by administrative staff and healthcare providers. When healthcare professionals fully comply with the law, that efficiency will be realized.
