HIPAA Gets New Privacy Rules
Information Today, Vol. 26, No 4, p. 13, April 2009
3 Pages Posted: 11 Oct 2013
Date Written: April 1, 2009
Abstract
Also included are initiatives to improve health care quality, safety and efficiency through better health information technology. A central component of those initiatives is new requirements to enhance the security and privacy of health information under the HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. These requirements appear to strengthen security and privacy rights of health care consumers, but may increase the compliance challenges of health care providers and the health care information industry.
The economic stimulus package addresses a number of these issues as part of a $19 billion package of health care technology enhancements.
The package extends many of HIPAA’s security and privacy provisions to “business associates” of covered entities. Business associates are companies or persons that provide data management, administrative, legal, accounting, and/or financial services to the health care industry. These companies often handle and process extensive health care records as part of the services that they provide, but were not required to comply with HIPAA’s privacy and security standards. Under the new rules, they will be required to meet most of HIPAA’s compliance, security and reporting standards in their management of health information.
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