The HIPAA Privacy Rule

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act was passed in 1996 to address two concerns: the loss of health insurance that can accompany leaving a job, and the protection of people’s private health information. The privacy issue is discussed a subsection of Title II known as the Privacy Rule. The Privacy Rule is meant to empower patients by putting control of their information in their hands.

If you manage an insurance company, treatment facility, medical records department, or any related business, you need to be very familiar with HIPAA’s Privacy Rule. If you are facing any legal complications related to the Act, the Des Moines business lawyers at LaMarca & Landry, P.C. can help you sort them out. Contact us at 877-327-2600.

Patients’ Rights under HIPAA

HIPAA is a complex law with many implications for healthcare, medical research, insurance coverage, and more. A good place to begin learning about the Act is to learn the rights it grants to patients. Some of the most important patients’ rights under the Privacy Rule include:

• Complete access to one’s own medical records, within 30 days of the initial request
• Full information about a healthcare entity’s privacy policies, given on the first visit
• Protection from unnecessary or unethical sharing of their medical records
• Reasonable accommodations for privacy (contacting the patient on a cell phone, etc)
• The choice of filing a complaint without retaliation

If you have any concerns about your business’s responsibilities under HIPAA, our HIPAA Privacy Rule lawyers would be happy to help.

Contact Us

Healthcare is a difficult field with many complicated legal issues. For the legal guidance you need to protect yourself and your company, contact the Des Moines healthcare litigation attorneys of LaMarca & Landry, P.C. at 877-327-2600.