The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) that was passed in 1996 helps in providing insurance cover to individuals and their families while they are changing their jobs or when they lose their job. Apart from this it also helps in protecting all confidential information of patients. HIPAA helps individuals have greater control over how their medical records are accessed, stored and transmitted electronically.

The stringent guidelines of HIPAA ensure that the confidential information of patients is protected against abuse and misuse. As more and more covered entities have started storing all medical records electronically, it is important that there are enough safeguards in place to protect them from unauthorized access. Apart from people who are directly connected with the treatment process of the individual no one else should be able to access the medical records of patients without any proper authorization.

Which Covered Entities Require HIPAA Training And Certification

– The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act stipulates that all covered entities will provide training to employees who will have access to confidential information of patients. The various organizations that are classified as covered entities as per HIPAA include hospitals, clinics, health insurance companies, doctors, nurses, laboratories and pharmacies. All these organizations and individuals will need to adhere to the guidelines that are specified by HIPAA.

– There are various health insurance companies that provide health coverage to individuals and their families. All employees who are working in these insurance companies will need to have adequate training regarding the various rules and regulations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. This will help in preventing any kind of insurance fraud.

– Apart from health care providers and medical insurance companies there are other organizations that are known as clearing houses. These are usually involved in handling medical bills and claims and so have access to the protected information of patients. They should also be trained in maintaining proper documentation and following the provisions of HIPAA.

The training for the covered entities is usually provided in classroom sessions by the employer. Apart from this there are also many websites that help in providing online HIPAA training. After the training is completed successfully, it is important that the employees pass the examination to get the certification.

If proper training is not provided to employees of covered entities they would not be able to comply with the provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. If the rules and regulations of HIPAA are not complied with it will attract very stringent penalties that can include fines and imprisonment.

The penalties can vary depending on the nature and extent of the violations. The minimum fine is $100 for each violation and this can go up to a maximum of million dollars annually. The imprisonment period can also vary from one to five years. The penalties can be civil and criminal depending on whether the violation was intentional or unintentional.

Proper training will help individuals comply with the various provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and avoid violations.

For more information, please visit our HIPAA Certificate website.

For more information, please visit our HIPAA Certificate website http://www.hipaaexams.com/hipaa-certificate.html

Author Bio: For more information, please visit our HIPAA Certificate website.

Category: Medical Business
Keywords: pharmacies,laboratories,nurses,doctors,health insurance companies,medical records ,Health Insurance