HIPPA

Question 1

HIPAA.

Answer 1

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996

HIPAA transformed healthcare in numerous ways:

New employees and their dependents gained the right to join an employer’s group health plan regardless of health status.

People with group health plan coverage received protection for pre-existing medical conditions after a special waiting period.

Doctors received uniform procedures to follow when billing electronically for treatment.

Purchasers of long-term care insurance became eligible for federal tax breaks.

Most healthcare providers and health plans were subsequently required to implement security measures to safeguard medical information.

It became illegal to disclose a patient’s medical information without the person’s consent.

*Many people mistakenly believe life insurance companies (and workers comp) must follow HIPAA’s Privacy Rule. life insurance companies and workers’ compensation insurers are generally not governed by the Privacy Rule.
When a life insurance company reviews your medical records before selling a policy, those records typically require a HIPAA-compliant authorization form (usually from a doctor) before being shared.

Question 2

business associate agreements.

Answer 2

A business associate agreement outlines the legal responsibilities and limits for handling protected health information, ensuring business associates follow the same privacy standards as covered entities.
Examples of potential business associates include:

Lawyers representing covered entities
Health insurance agents and brokers
Transcription companies for health care providers
Third-party administrators for health plans

Question 3

Covered Entities

Answer 3

-health care provides
- health plans (pays for health services)
- Clearing houses (processes date for billing and claims)
- Schools are not covered entities
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