HIPAA Language & Meanings

In 1996 the U.S. Congress instituted the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. HIPAA was the result of the need to protect patient privacy and have regulations in place to make sure private health information was not misused.

Personal Health Information

• Personal health information is a phrase commonly used when discussing HIPAA. Personal health information, or PHI, is any information that identifies a patient, which includes, but is not limited to, the patient's name, address, date of birth and their medical condition.

Privacy Rule

• The Privacy Rule is one of the rules under the HIPAA regulation, and serves to protect patients from having their personal health information disclosed, shared and misused inappropriately. The Privacy Rule holds health care providers, agencies and health care clearinghouses responsible for preserving patient privacy.

Security Rule

• The Security Rule is the second rule under HIPAA, and has to do with the security measures taken to safeguard electronic health information. For instance, health care clinics that use electronic medical records systems must have computers that are password-protected so that unauthorized users cannot access the information.

Covered Entity

• The phrase "covered entity" is often referred to in HIPAA policies. A covered entity is any individual or organization that is obligated by HIPAA to secure and protect the PHI of patients. HIPAA identifies health care providers, health plans and health care clearing houses as covered entities.