4 Features of the Security Rule of HIPAA

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) contains several laws wherein each set addresses different issued faced by all the concerned parties in the matters of healthcare and insurance. Laws for ensuring that an individual continues to have a health cover even in the event of changing jobs and the Privacy Rules for protecting the patient's health information are fairly well known, however another set of HIPAA laws called the Rules which work quietly in the background for protecting electronic information are equally vital. Due to the changing scenario of the healthcare industry and wider adoption of the electronic medium, Security Rules have gained tremendous importance in recent times.

The following points will tell you more about HIPAA's Security Rule.

• Need For Security Rule: For a very long time HIPAA has been promoting the implementation of electronic medium for managing data. Some of the advantages projected include lesser paperwork, reduced administrative cost, and better safety of data. Thanks to the persistent encouragement of HIPAA the use of the electronic media gradually increased and as a result today a majority of the entities are using this medium on a large scale. However using the electronic medium for storing and transacting data has given rise to newer threats and risks of unauthorized access, which prompted HIPAA to introduce Security Rules to provide the required guidelines for managing electronic data. Thus the Security Rule came into effect in the year 2003.

• Protected Data: All the health information of the patient that can lead to identifying the individual are protected under the Security Rule provided the data is in the electronic form. Such information is collectively referred to as the electronic protected health information (EPHI). All scenarios where the EPHI is created, transmitted, received or stored by the covered entities fall under this rule. But remember that the these Rule does not cover any kind of data that is on paper or which is communicated verbally.

• Safeguards: The Rules of HIPAA require the covered entities to undertake a number of different safeguards to protect the EPHI at every level. This includes Administrative safeguards where the entities must identify the risks and frame policies accordingly to protect the data. Physical safeguards will ensure that sufficient measures are taken for the security of the equipments including restricted physical access to such areas. And lastly the technical safeguard makes sure that the integrity of the data is preserved and can be accessed or transmitted by authorized personnel and entities only.

• Flexibility: Rules require that each entity take the necessary safeguards according to the threats anticipated by them. However since the sizes of different entities may differ greatly the rules have adopted a more flexible approach that allows each entity to analyze their particular need based on factors like size and resources so as to scale the rules and make them feasible for implementation.

Security Rules are to be followed by all the covered entities and any willful breach will invite penalties just as in the case of the other laws of HIPAA.

For more information, please visit our HIPAA website.

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American National Insurance - 7:42 PM

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6 Ways The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Protects Workers

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of the United States of 1996 was brought about to protect the health insurance of the employees, workers, employers and their families. The act helped organize the health insurance sector in the United States, taking care of the health insurance of workers and employees and their families, giving the owner of the insurance greater control over his or her personal information and health details and preventing the misuse of information. The act has been framed to benefit individuals and their families in many different ways. Read on to see how the act will benefit you and your family.

• HIPAA helps with coverage for preexisting medical conditions: Before HIPAA came into existence, most employers would provide health benefits to the new employees but would not extend the health benefits in case of certain preexisting medical conditions, or medical conditions which were detected or were being treated before the joining at the new workplace. HIPAA limits this power of the employers by defining a 6 month period prior to joining the new organization for a preexisting condition. The act allows the individual to look back 6 months and include certain medical conditions during that period as well. However, this is entirely up to the employer.

• HIPAA helps employees and their families enroll for health insurance in case of life events like marriage or children: Most employers and establishments provide insurance coverage to their employees and their families. The families of those who are covered are also entitled to the group health plan. HIPAA eases the inclusion of new members like spouses and children and other dependents into the group health plan.

• HIPAA protects the health insurances of the employees even during loss of jobs or change of jobs: One of the features of HIPAA is the protection of the health cover the employee gets. Their health insurance can be protected even during events like loss of job or change of job. The act makes it easy for the employees to switch jobs, without having to worry about losing health insurance.

• HIPAA helps maintain uniformity amongst all the employees in terms of insurance and premiums: Under group health plans for establishment, there is a uniformity maintained amongst all the employees and their employers. HIPAA advocates that the insurance packages and the premiums must be uniform and fair to all the members of the participating organization. Discrimination on the basis of health, status or other related factors is not permitted.

• HIPAA ensures insurance to both small and large establishments: HIPAA guarantees availability and renewability of health insurance to all organizations and establishments, big or small.

• HIPAA lets you be the owner of your own information: HIPAA allows each individual to access and control their own records. They have the power to control their own medical and personal information. Data theft is a very serious offense under the act.

The HIPAA act has benefitted many since its inception in 1996. It is recommended that all employers of all organizations get a group health insurance and benefit all.

For more information, please visit our HIPAA website.

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American National Insurance - 1:14 PM

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4 Benefits and 4 Shortcomings You Should Know About HIPAA

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 of the United States was created to benefit the citizens of the country. The act helps protect the health insurance of the workers, gives them the control of their medical and personal information and gives them the right to take legal action in case of suspected anomalies.

While the act has a lot of benefits, it has some drawbacks for the customers. Here is a brief look at the benefits and shortcomings that you should know about HIPAA.

• Benefit 1. HIPAA helps set a national standard in the sector of medical and health information. Before the HIPAA came into existence, the privacy of the medical and personal information depended entirely on the laws prevailing in the state of residence. Under the HIPAA, all states are required to adhere to certain minimum and basic standards. This brings uniformity in the privacy laws across the country. The states may further try and strengthen the laws to protect privacy.

• Benefit 2. HIPAA lets you access your own medical and health records. HIPAA allows the owner of the insurance to access his or her own medical and insurance records. Copies can be made and requests for amendments in the records are allowed. A fee is charged to carry out copying and amendment requests.

• Benefit 3. HIPAA debriefs you of all your rights under the act. The patients are debriefed of all the rights they are entitled under the privacy act. HIPAA training is also available and most organizations who opt for group health insurances have mandatory training for their employees. This helps them stay abreast of all the latest developments and announcements and keeps them aware of their various privacy rights.

• Benefit 4. HIPAA allows you to file complaints against alleged misuse of information or other crimes related to your personal information. If a person suspects misuse of information or violation of privacy, HIPAA has provisions to help file complaints. If the alleged party is found to have violated rules, action can be taken.

• Shortcoming 1. The consent of the consumer to use personal or medical information is not always required. This is true under certain special circumstances and medical emergencies. For instance, during an accident or a medical emergency, the caretaker would not wait for your go-ahead to reveal your personal details.

• Shortcoming 2. Your past medical information may be kept private, not hidden. Your medical history may have to be disclosed if the need arises, or the current medical situation demands it.

• Shortcoming 3. Your medical data may be used for marketing purposes. Pharmaceutical companies are constantly looking for drug reviews, performance and feedback. Your information may be used by them to evaluate, recall or repair some product.

• Shortcoming 4. You cannot sue under the HIPAA. If you suspect some anomalies regarding your personal information, you can lodge a complaint. However, the law does not allow you to sue the allegedly offending party.

While the HIPAA was created to benefit the consumer, there may be some loopholes, which are not in the favor of the consumer. However, the act does bring uniformity in the health insurance sector and helps the consumer in more than one way.

For more information, please visit our HIPAA website.

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American National Insurance - 8:16 AM

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Management of Information Under HIPAA Laws - 4 Things

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is concerned mainly with individuals and information concerning their health and insurance. It has enacted several laws to control the different situations where such information or individuals come in contact with certain parties called covered entities for particular purposes.

The following points will tell you more about the information involved and the provisions in the HIPAA laws for effective management of the same.

• Information: Information of a person includes all data that can identify the particular individual. Personal information will comprise of the name address, telephone numbers, e-mail addresses, social security number and date of birth. In addition all physical and mental health information from the past, present and future will be included. Furthermore data related to the health insurance, payment for any treatment received and other billing details will be incorporated. Such information is required by certain entities for administering proper treatment and processing your insurance. The information can be written, or be stored in an electronic format on a computer or may also be communicated verbally.

• Entities: Every individual will like to keep sensitive information to themselves; however you will be required to divulge such information to a handful of entities. These will mainly consist of healthcare providers like hospitals, nursing homes, clinics and professionals like doctors and psychologists who will need the data if they are to provide you with proper treatment. Similarly a health plan which includes insurance companies, company health plans or even government plans will require such information for managing your insurance and settling any claims. HIPAA has listed all such covered entities that access your data and requires them to follow a stringent set of rules so that only the bare minimum data is collected for the purposes that are specified beforehand.

• Communication: HIPAA laws further protect your information by asking the covered entities to take a number of precautions when storing and transacting such data. This includes allowing only the concerned personnel or entities to access sensitive information and taking the necessary safeguards against any unauthorized access during transmission. The law not only covers data in physical and electronic format but also what is conveyed verbally. Thus personnel like nurses, doctors and other hospital staff has to be equally careful when sharing such information.

• Personal Understanding: Educating yourself about the relevant HIPAA laws that affect you is the most effective way to protect personal information. You must ask the covered entity for a copy of the Notice of Privacy Practices (NOPP) which will tell you how your data will be managed and used. Also you will understand the scenarios where such information can be disclosed without your authorization and when your consent will be needed. In this way you will know if any violation has taken place and can approach the entity or higher authority to rectify the situation.

If you find it difficult to understand the HIPAA laws you can approach the entity and seek clarification, either way ensure that you keep track on how your data is being managed.

For more information, please visit our HIPAA website.

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American National Insurance - 9:33 PM

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6 Areas That a HIPAA Training Course Must Cover

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was brought into existence in the year 1996 with special emphasis on protecting the personal data of the patients through a host of protocols, and well enforced by a set of privacy and security rules. The law has evolved significantly since then to keep up with the changing requirements of health care. The sheer magnitude of rules has made HIPAA training a necessity if you wish to function within the guidelines of this Act.

Following are the 6 vital areas that must be covered in any HIPAA training course.

• Affected Parties: First of all you must know the different parties that have to follow the HIPAA laws. It comprises of all and everyone who has access to the personal information of the patients, and includes covered entities like health care providers, insurance companies and health insurance plan, as well the employees like physicians, nurses, dentists, human resource personnel, and the administrative staff.

• Protected Health Information (PHI): The HIPAA Privacy Rules revolve around the management of the various aspects related to PHI. A training course must tell you everything there is to know about the proper handling of PHI. You should learn about the information covered under the PHI and the different circumstances in which the data can be disclosed and when it has to be kept private. In addition you will understand the importance of proper authorization from the client when dealing with PHI.

• Data Security: Safeguarding data is another vital field that you must know, which will tell you about taking the necessary security measures and applying protocols when storing or transacting personal information. Some examples are using passwords, encryption and keeping files under lock and key. The laws cover all the data irrespective of whether they are in physical or electronic form.

• Penalties: HIPAA takes any kind of breach very seriously and will impose civil and even criminal penalties on the covered entities or employees if any violation is found. The quantum of the penalties will depend on the nature and seriousness of the breach. During training you will understand the various actions that violate the laws even when carried out unknowingly.

• Client Communication: HIPAA has given certain rights to the clients when it comes to their personal data. Accordingly the client can ask for certain modifications to be made to their database, seek clarifications, and even complain on any matter. An adequate training will help you to understand the concerns of your clients and respond to them in a timely and satisfactory manner. Remember that the client can approach a higher authority if their concerns are not addressed properly.

• In-house Policies: In addition to the general HIPAA laws you must also take adequate training to understand the in-house policies formulated by your organization so that they can be integrated with the HIPAA Rules for smoother working.

An ideal HIPAA training course will touch all the areas that are required for you complete your daily duties to the satisfaction of your employers, clients and the law.

For more information, please visit our HIPAA training website.

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American National Insurance - 9:29 AM

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HIPAA Training for 4 Work Groups

Falling ill is as natural a phenomenon as being fit. We all will need some kind of medical help at some point in our lives. And many of us are entitled and are protected with health insurance. And today, certain ailments that only affected the aged once ago, now seem to be affecting the young too, such as heart-attacks and strokes. This gives rise to better and more effective health plans for everyone.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), enacted in 1996, takes care of the privacy of patient's details. It is divided into two parts, the first part takes care of individuals and their family's health insurance in case they change or lose their jobs. The second part takes care of the more administrative details of the act. HIPAA has been introduced to improve the standards of health care of the nation as a whole. Anyone associated with the medical industry needs to have the knowledge and implement the act.

There are a number of people who require HIPAA training. Some of them are listed below.

• Health care providers: Doctors, nurses, medical practitioners and assistants most obviously need to be trained to know how to handle and maintain hospital and patient records. There are specific methods that need to be adopted to make sure a patient's medical records are kept confidential. They also need to be able to help patients in case they face any kind of problems while receiving aid.They need to clearly understand that not abiding to the act is an offence.

• Health insurance agents: need to be thorough with their knowledge of HIPAA. They need to know what the act covers and more importantly what it doesn't cover. As mentioned earlier, the act protects health insurances of workers and their families while they have a job and in case they lose their job too. A health insurance agent needs to be able to convert the legal jargon into simple words to ensure that everyone is well-insured.

• Human Resource: the HR department is the one point source of solving their worker's problems. They need to be extremely clear about the act and make sure the office employees adhere to it too.

• Anyone that has access to Personal Health Information (PHI): HIPAA training explains how much personal information can be divulged and how much needs to be kept in lock and key. In case information needs to be shared one needs to know details about authorizing the same.

Not abiding by HIPAA could land one with civil or even criminal penalties. The training also helps you understand how to tackle a breach of the Act in case you have done so unknowingly. Over and above HIPAA, each organization has its own set of rules and regulations too. A thorough understanding of HIPAA will ensure that in-house rules and HIPAA don't clash.

As the age-old saying goes, 'Health is Wealth'. Correct training to take care of the nation's health gives rise to a whole bunch of healthy people. And healthy people gives rise to a healthy country; now who wouldn't like that!

For more information, please visit our HIPAA training website.

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American National Insurance - 6:21 AM

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4 Basic Points About HIPAA You Need to Know

After the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was adopted, a lot of things changed for the health industry. The act came into being not only to take care of medical records but also to change the way employees share information about patients. Changes took place in the basic functioning of the health industry. It's been over a decade that the act came into place, and healthcare units had to make a lot of changes to comply with HIPAA. Now they bear fruit, in terms of its effectiveness.

HIPAA basically makes a hospital or a medical unit signs a form by their clients stating which groups or people their medical details can be shared with. This ensures confidentiality and eradicates the risk of information being leaked out. Even within the organization, certain employees cannot access their client's Personal Health Information (PHI).

There are a number of regulations that patients should know about. HIPAA has been created for them:

• As a patient, you need to know who will abide by HIPAA's rules and regulations. Doctors, nurses and healthcare providers, all of them need to be knowledgeable about the Act. Health insurance companies may not share any part of your Protected Health Information (PHI).

• If ever you fall ill, and a number of people need to go through your medical records, you can request that only your doctor be given this privilege. But sometimes a doctor could refuse this request in case nurses or health insurance agents need to access your records for taking care of you better.

• There are regulations even to access your own records. You can have full access to your records, unless your doctor specifies otherwise. There could be some information that could do more harm than heal if reviewed. In case there is a mistake in your records, you are given a specific number of days within which you are allowed to make changes. You also need to explicitly mention where you would not like your details to be shred, such as sales calls or even to certain kind of health agents.

• At your workplace the regulations regarding HIPAA are quite different. An employer is external to HIPAA rules, he may ask for a note from your doctor for various reasons. He is also not bound to keep any medical records private. He can share them with an external company if he needs to. On the other hand, health insurance companies cannot share your records with your employer without your consent.

These are only a few instances of the benefits of HIPAA. A certified employee at a medical unit or a hospital can guide you completely if you are a patient. You need to understand the Act as it has been designed to help you, a responsible citizen of the nation. Speak to your doctor, as he will have complete access to these records. He will be able to guide you and your family, as and when the need arises. It is important to stay knowledgeable about such Acts.

For more information, please visit our HIPAA training website.

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American National Insurance - 10:21 PM

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4 Points on Balancing HIPAA Privacy Rules With Requirements of Research

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and its Privacy Rules have laid a considerable amount of stress for protecting the personal information of an individual. Over the years it has made its guidelines more stringent and also prescribed civil as well as criminal penalties on the covered entities that violate its rules. But even HIPAA cannot take a one-sided view when it comes to the field of research which may be in conflict with several of the privacy provisions but is still required for many constructive purposes.

The following points look at research from different perspectives with seemingly opposing provisions of HIPAA Privacy Rules.

1. Importance of Research: Carrying on research on a continual basis is vital in any field but more so in healthcare because it involves precious human lives. While the need for having strict laws to protect sensitive data cannot be compromised the fact remains that research is just as important. It is only through steady research that dangerous diseases can be detected at early stages and effective medicines can be found for those diseases that at present do not have a cure. Thus you must understand that an unhindered research environment is required as much as the laws.

2. Researchers Concern: HIPAA Privacy Rules has laid down stringent guidelines for covered entities with respect to how personal health information can be used. Researchers already have to follow certain Common Rules when carrying on their research work and have questioned the need for additional riders placed by HIPAA. Furthermore researchers have requested suitable changes to be made in the Privacy Rules to put disclosure for research on par with authorized purposes like payment and treatment so that no other permissions are required to be sought by the researchers seeking such data.

3. Public View: Public concerns over the misuse of their personal data are one of the primary reasons for strengthening of the HIPAA Privacy Rules. In the studies conducted to gauge public opinion it was found that most people understood the importance of research in the healthcare field, but were equally concerned about disclosure of certain sensitive information and wanted to be properly consulted prior to disclosing personal data.

4. Releasing Data: Just like the public HIPAA too realizes the importance of research work in this field and have thus made certain provisions under which data can be released for research purposes.

• De-identifying Data: HIPAA Privacy Rules do allow covered entities to disclose information for research after removing certain identifying data of the individual. This includes name, address, contact information and social security number among others. Furthermore it requires the researchers to sign an agreement for proper use of this data.

• Authorization Wavier: In certain cases where the information is crucial to the research work and the perceived risks are low, bodies like the Institutional Review Board (IRB) may waive the authorization requirement for disclosing the data.

In addition to the above information can be disclosed for research work if the individual provides a written authorization for the same, however such permission must be granted only after careful consideration.

For more information, please visit our hipaa privacy website.

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American National Insurance - 8:11 AM

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