Your right to privacy
Federal regulations place restrictions on how personally identifiable health information may be used and disclosed by certain organizations. These regulations (the Privacy Rules) implement the privacy requirements contained within the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). .
While some states have laws that protect health information, the HIPAA Privacy Rules establish a uniform, minimum level of privacy protections for all health information.
In summary, the HIPAA Privacy Rules:
- Set limits on how health information may be used and disclosed;
- Require that individuals be told how their health information will be used and disclosed;
- Give individuals a right to receive an accounting of disclosures, to request special restrictions and to receive confidential communications; and impose fines where the requirements contained within the regulations are not met.