HIPAA
Introduction
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), Public Law 104-191, was enacted by Congress to address healthcare reform, administrative simplification and patient healthcare information privacy and security issues.
Simplified, it was established to:
- Allow portability of pre-existing condition exemption between employer health insurance group plans.
- Standardize electronic transactions in health care to reduce costs through adjustments in record formats, code sets, identifiers, eligibility, referral, claims, remittance, etc.
The general requirements encompass five specific areas:
- Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) - electronic transfer of information among organizations (New date of compliance 10/16/2003)
- Code Sets - uniform codes for illnesses and treatments (no definite date of compliance)
- Identifiers - standardized numbers identifying health providers, plans, and employers (no definite date of compliance)
- Security - standards for protecting confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data (no definite date of compliance)
- Privacy - standards defining appropriate and inappropriate disclosures of individually identifiable health information and how patient rights are to be protected (final date of compliance 4/14/2003)
Employee & Student Training
HIPAA Link
Right To Make A Complaint
Any individual who believes their rights granted by HIPAA privacy regulations or any other state or federal laws dealing with privacy and confidentiality, have been violated may file a written complaint regarding the alleged privacy violation.
ALL complaints should be brought to the attention of the University HIPAA Privacy Officer:
Jim Calhoun
Office of Audit and Compliance
1501 Mercer University Drive
Macon, GA 31207-0001
478-301-2300 - Office
478-301-5520 - Fax
Conditions of use: Information contained on this website is being provided solely for general information purposes and should not be used for personal gain. The intended purpose of this website is to provide information only; in no event should information be regarded or construed as advice, opinion or any express or implied endorsement.
