HIPAA
HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) is a United States federal law that establishes national standards for the protection of individually identifiable health information, known as Protected Health Information (PHI).
Enacted in 1996, HIPAA sets the standard for protecting sensitive patient data in the United States. Any organization that deals with PHI must ensure that all required physical, network, and process security measures are in place and followed. This includes covered entities such as healthcare providers, health plans, and healthcare clearinghouses, as well as their business associates.
The HIPAA Security Rule specifically focuses on the safeguarding of electronic protected health information (ePHI). It requires covered entities to implement administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of ePHI. These safeguards include access controls, audit controls, integrity controls, and transmission security.
The HIPAA Privacy Rule establishes national standards for the protection of individuals' medical records and other personal health information. It gives patients rights over their health information, including the right to examine and obtain a copy of their health records and to request corrections.
Violations of HIPAA can result in severe penalties. Civil penalties range from $100 to $50,000 per violation, with annual maximums of $1.5 million per violation category. Criminal penalties can include fines up to $250,000 and imprisonment for up to ten years for offenses committed with the intent to sell or use PHI for personal gain.