HIPAA Privacy
The Privacy Ruling was published in the Federal Register on December 28, 2000. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights is responsible for enforcing this rule. There are civil and criminal penalties for violating this rule, including fines up to $250,000 and imprisonment for up to 10 years.
The privacy regulation has three major purposes:
- To protect and enhance the rights of consumers by providing them access to their health information and controlling the appropriate use of that information;
- To improve the quality of health care in the United States by restoring trust in the health care system among consumers, health care professionals and the many organizations and individuals committed to the delivery of health care; and
- To improve the efficiency and effectiveness of health care delivery by creating a national framework for health, privacy and protection.