What is HIPAA

Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

What is HIPAA?
“HIPAA” is the acronym for the federal legislation titled Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.

HIPAA was designed to protect patients from disclosure of protected health information (PHI) that is oral, written, or electronic. Patients must be informed of their rights with their PHI, authorize release of information, have the right to see and amend their medical record, and be informed of what is released. HIPAA has been implemented at the Center since April 14, 2003.

Overview
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1996. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) website, Title I of HIPAA protects health insurance coverage for workers and their families when they change or lose their jobs. Title II of HIPAA, known as the Administrative Simplification (AS) provisions, requires the establishment of national standards for electronic health care transactions and national identifiers for providers, health insurance plans, and employers. These provisions work to assure confidential patient information and safeguard against inappropriatte disclosure (s).
The Administration Simplification provisions also focuses on the security and privacy of health data. The standards are meant to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the nation's health care system by encouraging the wide usage of electronic data interchange in the U.S. health care (Wikepedia 2009).

Why does the Center have to comply with HIPAA?
As health care providers it is the Centers duty and due diligence to protect patient’s health information and assure that their health information is only released in appropriate circumstances and to solely authorized (designated) individuals.

What approaches has the Mary M. Gooley Hemophilia Center taken to ensure compliance with HIPAA?

• Designation of a Privacy Officer (Linda Magliocco)
• Dispersement and Center display of the Center Privacy Notice.
• Ongoing training of staff/volunteers. Keeping apprised of the latest changes and regulations mandated by the government for HIPAA compliance.
• Ongoing development of policies and procedures to carry out all HIPAA requirements.

Under HIPAA as a patient you have certain rights:

• The right to receive a written and Notice of Privacy Practices
• The right to review and get a copy of health and billing information
• The right to ask that your health and billing information be amended
• The right to request for restrictions in the use of your health and billing information
• The right to request confidential communications
• The right to find out, in instances, who outside of the Center has been privy to your health information since April 14, 2003
• The right to file a complaint with The Mary M. Gooley Hemophilia Center or with the US Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights if you believe your privacy rights have been violated.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding HIPAA or would like a copy of the Centers Privacy notice.

Please feel to contact:
Linda Magliocco Privacy Officer
1415 Portland Avenue, Suite 500
Rochester, NY 14621
Phone: 585-922-5700
Fax 585-922-5775
Email: linda.magliocco@rochestergeneral.org