Understanding Your HIPAA Rights: Protecting Your Health Information

The Privacy Act of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) protects sensitive medical and health information for all patients.

Protected Information

• Some of the information protected under HIPAA are conversations the doctor has concerning the patient's treatment, information doctors or nurses put in a patient's health record and information the patient's health insurer has in its computer system.

How Protected

• Any organization that has confidential patient information is required to have safeguards in place to help secure information, such as limiting who can view certain information.

Patient Rights

• A patient has the right to request a copy of his health records, make corrections to health information and get a report on why health information was shared.

Who Has a Right to Know?

• A patient's health information can be shared with doctors and hospitals for treatment and care. The information can also be shared with family members who the patient has given permission to to access the patient's records. Another instance where the information is legally shared is to protect the public's health by making reports to the local health district.

Violations

• A patient's health information cannot be given to an employer or used for marketing purposes. If a violation has occurred, a claim needs to be filed with your provider or insurer. A claim can also be filed with the government.