Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

Synonyms

Patient protection

Definition

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)

HIPAA is a federal law that addresses a variety of health care subjects in various titles. These address health insurance coverage, enrollment and preexisting conditions, fraud and abuse, administrative simplification, electronic billing and coding for health care services, and the protection of certain individually identifiable health information that is obtained by “covered entities.” These titles affect how health care claims are documented and billed and amended laws governing health insurers. Tax laws were amended to establish medical savings accounts and address the deductibility of health insurance premiums by self-employed individual, long-term care insurance, and provide other benefits. With respect to fraud and abuse, HIPAA also, for example, provide for advisory opinions, increased and expanded fraud and abuse investigation and enforcement penalties and tools for...