What is HIPPA?

HIPAA or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act was created to protect Americans through two parts. The first part was to protect workers insurance coverage during the lose of a job or transition between jobs. The second part works to standardize electronic medical records (EMRs). The goal was to standardize how health information is exchanged between Doctors. The second portion also established national identifiers for providers, health insurance companies and employers. The second portion of HIPAA relates most to Patients and Eye Doctors, since it covers security and privacy of patient records. Thanks to this provision, Doctors cannot release a patients health information unless the patient signs a form of concent to do so. A minor violation consists of negligence of failing to protect the privacy of a patients medical record. A major violation consists of knowingly compromising the privacy of a patients medical record for personal gain. The main concern was that a Doctor would sell patient information to advertisers or companies that make products for treatment of specific medical conditions. The most common example would be selling a patient record to pharmaceutical company that sells a medication for a disease the patient has. A summary of the HIPAA privacy act can be found here.