HIPAA

The federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 and its implementing regulations (HIPAA) established national standards for the protection of certain health information. HIPAA addresses the use, disclosure, and security of "protected health information," and also provides patients with certain rights regarding that information.

"Protected health information" includes all individually identifiable health information, in any form or media, whether electronic, paper, or oral. Individually identifiable health information is defined broadly and includes any information that relates to the individual's past, present, or future physical or mental health or condition, the provision of health care to the individual, or the past, present, or future payment for the provision of health care to the individual, and that identifies the individual or for which there is a reasonable basis to believe it can be used to identify the individual. Individually identifiable health information includes many common identifiers (e.g., name, address, birth date, Social Security number), but also can include a photo or other identifiable image.