HIPAA - Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) offers protections for millions of America’s workers that improve portability and continuity of health insurance coverage. 

The HIPAA Privacy Rule gives individuals a fundamental new right to be informed of the privacy practices of their health plans and of most of their health care providers, as well as to be informed of their privacy rights with respect to their personal health information. Health plans and covered health care providers are required to develop and distribute a notice that provides a clear explanation of these rights and practices. The notice is intended to focus individuals on privacy issues and concerns, and to prompt them to have discussions with their health plans and health care providers and exercise their rights.