Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA)
Compliance Information
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was signed into law in August 1996. This federal law contains provisions that permit greater portability and continuity of health insurance coverage from one employer to the next. But HIPAA also contains provisions that apply to the full range of health care providers — including dentists — as well as to health insurers and clearinghouses.
The intent behind HIPAA was to cut administrative health-care costs and to simplify the electronic transfer of health records. Also significant to providers and patients are rules protecting the privacy of health information and records.
The California Dental Association, your local dental society, and the American Dental Association are committed to helping you navigate the facts, uncertainties, and rumors related to HIPAA, and to help clarify what you must do to comply.
This website presents key information about HIPAA, and provides links that will help you understand the basics of compliance. It distills volumes of information into a reference tool that is designed to keep you, your employees, and your patients informed about your rights and responsibilities under HIPAA.
HIPAA/California Privacy Law Preemption Analyses
2003
HIPAA Compliance Overview
Additional Resources
HIPAA Compliance Questions & Answers
Guidance on HIPPA Privacy Standards
HIPAA Security Rule
HIPAA Provider Identifier Rule
National Provider ID
HIPPA Timeline
HIPAA Enforcement Information
The ADA has produced a HIPAA information website that includes news and articles about HIPAA from The Journal of the American Dental Association, links to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ guidance on the Privacy Rule, frequently asked questions about the Privacy Rule, and links to more HIPAA information. Go to: http://ada.org/prof/resources/topics/hipaa/index.asp
The California HealthCare Foundation’s HIPAA background paper, Implementing the Federal Health Privacy Rule in California: A Guide for Health Care Providers, which discusses HIPAA’s key elements, and the key actions providers should implement to comply with the Privacy Rule. http://www.chcf.org/documents/ihealth/ImplementingFedPrivacyRuleProviders.pdf
Update and Supplement to the Guide for Health Care Providers: http://www.chcf.org/topics/view.cfm?itemid=19670
The Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange (WEDI) has published a guide for HIPAA implementation for the small-practice office. It’s a good source for basic information about HIPAA, and also contains a self-audit to help you determine if your office is compliant now with HIPAA’s Privacy Rule. Guidance for developing an office privacy policy, an authorization form for release of protected patient information, an office policy manual, and other required forms are also offered. http://snip.wedi.org/public/articles/2002_0510_1.2.pdf
The ADA maintains a directory of Practice Management Software that lists vendors who provide software you can use to transform patient records to electronic format and to send electronic transactions: http://www.ada.org/prof/prac/tools/software/vendor.asp
These individual segments will be updated as required to keep you informed.
Learn more about HIPAA from these websites:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Civil Rights
HIPAA commercial site, providing articles and background information on the privacy rule