What are the requirements of HIPAA?

HIPAA stands for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. It was passed by Congress in 1996 and is designed to protect personal medical information from being used without authorization. HIPAA applies to any organization that collects, stores, transmits, or uses health information, such as healthcare providers, health insurers, and healthcare clearinghouses. HIPAA requires organizations to protect personal medical information, known as “Protected Health Information” or PHI, in three ways: 1) First, HIPAA requires organizations to provide patients with detailed information about how their personal information will be protected, used, and shared. Patients must agree to these conditions before their information can be used. 2) Second, HIPAA requires organizations to use industry-standard security measures to protect personal medical information. 3) Third, HIPAA requires organizations to report all data breaches involving PHI. In Maryland, HIPAA violations can result in criminal penalties and civil suits. In addition, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene maintains an “Enforcement Matters” website specifically dedicated to HIPAA enforcement. The website provides guidance for organizations on how to come into compliance with the law and outlines past enforcement actions.

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