What is the scope of HIPAA?

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) is a federal law that provides data security and privacy protections for personal health information, also known as protected health information (PHI), for individuals across the United States, including in Massachusetts. HIPAA applies to health plans, health clearinghouses, healthcare providers, and business associates of those entities; so, the scope of HIPAA is quite broad. Health plans are any entities that provide, pay for or arrange for the payment of healthcare services. Health clearinghouses are any entities that process health data in a non-standard format. Healthcare providers are any individual or group that provides healthcare services through the practice of medicine, dentistry, nursing, or any other healthcare profession. Business associates are entities that handle PHI for a covered entity on behalf of the covered entity or at the request of the covered entity. In terms of data security, HIPAA requires covered entities to maintain physical, network, and process security to ensure that PHI is protected from unauthorized access, use, and disclosure. This includes implementing technical safeguards, such as secure email, encryption, and data destruction. HIPAA also requires that covered entities provide PHI to individuals upon request. In conclusion, HIPAA is a data security and privacy law that applies to health plans, health clearinghouses, healthcare providers, and business associates of those entities. It requires covered entities to maintain physical, network, and process security to ensure that PHI is protected. Additionally, covered entities must provide PHI to individuals upon request.

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What is the scope of HIPAA?

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