History of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Essay

In 1996, wellness Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was enacted to improve availability and continuity of wellness insurance coverage, combat fraud and abuse in wellness business concern delivery, cater access to long term parcel out services and alter administration of health insurance by standardizing education exchange surrounded by healthc are organizations. This act primarily protects the privacy and security of an man-to-mans health cultivation in response to the rapid grown of health insurance and information systems (Questions and Answers on HIPAA).Transmission standards and code sets were included in HIPAA to standardize health-related information and to facilitate faster electronic data jump (EDI) which allows exchange of information from computer to computer. The transactions and code set standards wear to patient-identifiable health information transmitted electronically. Without the need for human involvement or intervention to complete the process, the practiti championr will be able to bear costs by eliminating third party clearing houses, administrators or tutelage services (Kibbe, 2001, p. 8).With the standardized information exchange, availability of patient information electronically can be obtained with ease. To protect the security and confidentiality of this information, Privacy Rule was issued to apply the requirement of HIPAA. The major goal of the privacy rule is to assure that an individuals health information is protected from un original access and revelation while still allowing the exchange of information through EDI to facilitate payments and to provide high quality health consider.Individually identifiable health information, called protected health Information (PHI) is any data that contains the individuals past, evince or future physical or mental health, provision of health care to the individual, and the payment of such in the past, present or future. It is the daub for Civil Rights (OC R) responsibility to ensure that the Privacy Rule is enforced and use with respect to voluntary compliance activities and civil money penalties (Office of Civil Rights, 2003). at that place are some instances, however, when disclosure of PHI is needed or permitted. Covered entities (health care providers, clearing houses, etc. ) whitethorn disclose protected health information to the unexclusive health authorities when public health and safety are at risk. This happens when an individual contracted a communicable disease that raises public concern.If an employee developed a work-related illness or injury and the employer requests for the employees PHI in compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and other uniform state law, the covered entities may release information about the individual. Likewise, information for treatment procedures requiring historical information and provided for by several health care services is granted to the health service providers, including consultations and referrals between providers regarding a patient. protect Health Information of abused, neglected or domestic violence victims may also be disclosed to appropriate government authorities (such as reporting suspected domestic abuse to social welfare agencies) as long as the individual gives consent to disclosure, or the disclosure is authorized by law (Office of Civil Rights, 2003). The passage and implementation of HIPAA definitely ameliorate the conditions of health care services. Uniform transmission and code sets standards paved the guidance for more efficient processing system, standardizing the way physicians, health insurance and health care providers handle and exchange information.With increased efficiency, costs are decreased. As Kibbe (2001) puts it in his article, If theres a silver lining to the HIPAA regulations, its here. These standards can save your practice time and money. Although accessibility of information is one benefit of HIPAA, Privacy Rule protects the individuals from unauthorized disclosure of their Protected Health Information ensuring confidentiality and security of data exchanged in the process.