| The Health Insurance Portability and | | | | Penalties for non-compliance can include |
| Accountability Act or HIPAA has two purposes. | | | | fines that range from $100 per person per |
| The first, "portability," allows an employee | | | | violation up to $25,000 per year and/or up to |
| to keep their current health insurance even | | | | ten years imprisonment. |
| if they should happen to leave their current | | | | |
| place of employment. This is easily done | | | | The process is complaint driven and only |
| thanks to plans such as COBRA. The second | | | | covers health care providers and health |
| part, "accountability," means that the | | | | plans. It doesn't mean that a friend or |
| government can now regulate healthcare | | | | family member can't discuss someone's medical |
| providers, health plans, payers, | | | | issues with another party. Relatives may talk |
| clearinghouses, and anyone else that might | | | | freely about what they may have discussed |
| coordinate health data, for complete privacy | | | | with health care providers. Journalists may |
| and security. If an employer provides any | | | | report on a subject's medical condition, but |
| type of on-site health care, that employer | | | | the information that can be disclosed by a |
| must also comply by HIPAA standards. | | | | doctor or hospital is limited. These |
| | | | restrictions also don't apply to police, |
| It means that if personal information is | | | | firefighters, coaches, trainers or teachers. |
| stored on computer databases, tapes, disks, | | | | |
| or transmitted with the assistance of faxes | | | | If you feel your privacy has been violated, |
| or the Internet, in addition to anything | | | | you can issue a complaint with your |
| written down or talked about, steps must be | | | | healthcare provider or the DHHS. Your health |
| taken to ensure a patient's privacy. This | | | | information is privileged and anyone can use |
| also means that, in addition to protecting | | | | this information against you. The HIPAA was |
| your privacy, the electronic exchange of | | | | designed to combat this. Your health care |
| financial or administrative information must | | | | professional now has to make sure your |
| now be standardized. | | | | information stays confidential unless you |
| | | | request otherwise. |