The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 enlists very stringent and strict norms to protect the privacy and confidentiality of the patients. The act gives the right to the patient to be in control of his or her own sensitive private and medical information. In case of any suspected misuse of information or theft of identity or any other violation under the HIPAA, the act has provisions that helps the patients register a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights for justice.

The US Department of Health and Human Services recommends that all employees of organizations enrolled under the group health insurance schemes undergo the HIPAA training course. The training course educates each person of his or her rights under the Privacy Act, benefits of the insurance scheme and keeps them abreast of all the new developments and announcements. The act also explains the steps one must take in case of suspected violation. Listed below are 5 simple facts about the HIPAA violations each citizen must know.

– If the patient suspects unauthorized access of his or her medical records, he or she is required to register a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights (OCR). The OCR allots a time period of 30 days for the erring party to take corrective action, which may be increased upon request. If the offending party fails to do so within the time frame, an additional fine or penalty may be imposed.

– The violation has to be reported by the patient within 180 days of it being committed. Forms to lodge the complaint are available from the OCR. However, the complaint may also be given on a plain piece of paper and submitted at the OCR.

– As per the HIPAA guidelines, all medical discussions with the doctors, nurses and other medical staff are required to be held in confidentiality and should not be discussed in public. The HIPAA guidelines are considered violated if the discussions are held in public.

– Each health care institution also has a compliance office set up. In case of suspected breach of privacy or misuse of data, complaints against the erring party may also be registered in this office. The compliance office will then take up the issue and do the needful.

– HIPAA training courses are provided by insurance companies and insurance providers to organizations who are covered under group health schemes. This training helps the employees learn how to keep a track of their personal and medical information and how to detect anomalies and violations. It also educates them on how to deal with violations and register complaints.

While HIPAA is a federal act and is followed by all states, some jurisdictions use both the state laws and the HIPAA laws to prevent fraud. The best way to keep the violations to a minimum and ensure that the system is working without glitches is to train the patients all about the act. Knowing the various clauses of the act in detail will benefit the people completely.

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