HIPAA Privacy Compliance The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued the Privacy Rule to put into practice the requirement of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).  The Privacy Rule standards address the use and disclosure of individuals’ health information—called “protected health information” (PHI). PHI is any information held by [...]

Medical information that is not covered by the federal privacy rule might be found in your financial records, your child’s school records, and/or your employment files. Financial records. The federal Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLB) allows financial companies such as banks, brokerage houses, and insurance companies to operate as a single entity. GLB gives you the right [...]

New advancements in health record technology raise questions about privacy and security. Consumers are worried that someone might be able to hack into health systems to gain access to private health information. Federal and state privacy laws such as HIPAA are designed to protect both paper and electronic health records. Systems must be designed to [...]