HIPAA
The following information was extracted from the United States Department of Health and Human Services and SLPAB websites:
HIPAA Administrative Simplification
The Administrative Simplification provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA, Title II) require the Department of Health and Human Services to establish national standards for electronic health care transactions and national identifiers for providers, health plans, and employers. It also addresses the security and privacy of health data. Adopting these standards will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the nation's health care system by encouraging the widespread use of electronic data interchange in health care.
The privacy provisions of the federal law, apply to health information created or maintained by health care providers who engage in certain electronic transactions, health plans, and health care clearinghouses. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued the regulation, "Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information," applicable to entities covered by HIPAA. The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is the Departmental component responsible for implementing and enforcing the privacy regulation.
The following links contain specific information on HIPAA requirements. For guidance on compliance issues, please contact either of the offices listed below under the United States Department of Health and Human Services.
Department of Health and Human Services - Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services - http://www.cms.hhs.gov/mmis/03_medicaidhipaasim.asp
Office for Civil Rights - http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/
California Office of HIPAA Implementation - http://www.ohi.ca.gov/state/calohi/ohiHome.jsp