Abstract

In 1996, Congress passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which required the enactment of new regulations to protect confidential patient health information. In December 2000, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services published the agency's final rule on patient privacy and the proper use of privileged health information. The HIPAA privacy regulations cover all health-care providers that handle medical records or other identifiable patient health information. Most health-care organizations have until April 14,2003, to comply with HIPPA.