In 1996, the government passed a law to better protect a person's medical information. This law is called the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and is a federal law that puts limits on what parts of a person's health record can be shared and with whom. The law does permit disclosure of information if it is needed for a person's medical care, says the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The law makes it necessary for individuals to sign papers allowing doctors and health care facilities to share their medical information.
Consumers
Consumers benefit from the HIPAA due to the privacy rule it outlines. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says this rule limits who can look at a person's health and medical information. This includes electronic, written and oral information that is placed in a person's file. These laws are not intended to interfere with research being done on health concerns, but has conditions on sharing information with research facilities.
Covered Entities
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services describes a covered entity as one that conducts electronic transactions, and is a health care clearinghouse or part of a health care plan. Covered entities must comply with HIPAA regulations. Examples of covered entities include health care providers such as doctors, clinics, psychologists and dentists. Health plans are also covered entities and include insurance companies and government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.
Protection
Under HIPAA law, several aspects of a patient's medical chart are protected. These include information that doctors and nurses put into the health record, conversations between medical personnel and information in the insurer's computer system, says the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Also protected is a person's billing information at their medical clinic or facility.
Rights
HIPAA was created to give citizens more control and rights regarding his personal health and medical information. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services tells consumers that they have the right to see and get copies of their medical records and also have the right to request changes to errors contained within their files. People also have the right to receive notice of how their personal information can be used or shared with others. A person's medical information is only shared when written permission is given, and he is also entitled to a report that outlines what information was shared and why. Finally, a person has the right to file a complaint if he feels his rights were denied.
Sharing Information
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says several reasons can justify sharing a person's medical file. This includes details pertaining to treatment and to ensure that doctors and hospitals are paid for their services. Family and friends that a person has designated can also have access to medical information if needed. A person's information may also be shared to provide him and others with clean and safe medical facilities as well as to protect the health of the general public, as in an outbreak of a disease such as West Nile virus. Finally, information can be shared with police if a person is injured during a crime.
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