- Authorizations (30)
                              - Business Associates (41)
                              - Compliance Dates (2)
                              - Covered Entities (14)
                              - Decedents (9)
                              - Disclosures for Law Enforcement Purposes (5)
                              - Disclosures for Rule Enforcement (1)
                              - Disclosures in Emergency Situations (2)
                              - Disclosures Required by Law (6)
                              - Disclosures to Family and Friends (28)
                              - Disposal of Protected Health Information (6)
                              - Facility Directories (7)
                              - Family Medical History Information (3)
                              - FERPA and HIPAA (10)
                              - Group Health Plans (3)
                              - Incidental Uses and Disclosures (10)
                              - Judicial and Administrative Proceedings (8)
                              - Minimum Necessary (14)
                              - Notice of Privacy Practice (20)
                              - Preemption of State Law (10)
                              - Privacy Rule: General Topics (12)
                              - Protected Health Information (2)
                              - Public Health Uses and Disclosures (13)
                              - Research Uses and Disclosures (20)
                              - Right to an Accounting of Disclosures (8)
                              - Right to File a Complaint (1)
                              - Right to Request a Restriction (4)
                              - Safeguards (13)
                              - Security Rule (24)
                              - Smaller Providers and Businesses (145)
                              - Student Immunizations (8)
                              - Transition Provisions (3)
                              - Treatment, Payment, and Health Care Operations Disclosures (30)
                              - Workers Compensation Disclosures (5)
                              - Limited Data Set (6)
                              - Marketing (17)
                              - Marketing - Refill Reminders (16)
                              - Personal Representatives and Minors (12)
                              - Right to Access and Research (58)
                              - Mental Health (35)
                              - Health Information Technology (41)
                              - Telehealth (11)

                      -   
                      -   
                      -   
                      -   
                      -   

# Privacy Rule: General Topics

##         187-What does the HIPAA Privacy Rule do      

Most health plans and health care providers that are covered by the new Rule must comply with the new requirements by April 14, 2003.

Read the full answer

##         188-Why is the HIPAA Privacy Rule needed      

In enacting HIPAA, Congress mandated the establishment of Federal standards for the privacy of individually identifiable health information.

Read the full answer

##         189-What does the HIPAA Privacy Rule require the average provider or health plan to do       

For the average health care provider or health plan, the Privacy Rule requires activities

Read the full answer

##         190-Who must comply with HIPAA privacy standards      

As required by Congress in HIPAA, the Privacy Rule covers health plans, health care providers and health care clearinghouses.

Read the full answer

##         191-When did covered entities have to meet these HIPAA privacy standards      

As Congress required in HIPAA, most covered entities had until April 14, 2003 to come into compliance with these standards, as modified by the August, 2002 final Rule. Small health plans had an additional year – until April 14, 2004 – to come into compliance.

Read the full answer

##         192-What were the major modifications to the HIPAA Privacy Rule adopted in August 2002      

Based on the information received through public comments, testimony at public hearings, meetings at the request of industry and other stakeholders, as well as other communications, HHS identified a number of areas in which the Privacy Rule, as issued in December 2000, would have had potential unintended effects on health care quality or access.

Read the full answer

##         193-Why was the consent requirement eliminated from the HIPAA Privacy Rule       

The consent requirement created the unintended effect of preventing health care providers from providing timely, quality health care to individuals in a variety of circumstances.

Read the full answer

##         195-Will HHS make future changes to HIPAA and how will these changes be made      

Under HIPAA, HHS has the authority to modify the privacy standards as the Secretary may deem appropriate. However, a standard can be modified only once in a 12-month period.

Read the full answer

##         350-Does the HIPAA Privacy Rule create a government database with all individuals' personal health information      

The Privacy Rule does not create such a government database or require a physician or any other covered entity to send medical information to the Federal government for a government database or similar operation.

Read the full answer

##         351-How does the HIPAA Privacy Rule affect my rights under the Federal Privacy Act      

The Privacy Act of 1974 (U.S. Department of Justice) protects personal information about individuals held by the Federal government. Covered entities that are Federal agencies or Federal contractors that maintain records that are covered by the Privacy Act not only must obey the Privacy Rule’s requirements, but also must comply with the Privacy Act.

Read the full answer

##         354-Does the HIPAA Privacy Rule protect genetic information      

Genetic information is health information protected by the Privacy Rule. Like other health information, to be protected it must meet the definition of protected health information: it must be individually identifiable and maintained by a covered health care provider, health plan, or health care clearinghouse. See 45 C.F.R 160.103 and 164.501.

Read the full answer

##         370-Does the HIPAA Privacy Rule require that covered entities document all oral communications      

The Privacy Rule does not require covered entities to document any information, including oral information, that is used or disclosed for treatment, payment or health care operations.

Read the full answer