Overview: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

Quick Definition

The Healthcare Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, or HIPAA, is a U.S. federal statute regulating the data privacy and security practices of healthcare organizations. The compliance requirements outlined in the act affect both direct providers of healthcare services and organizations responsible for the storage, transmission, or use of healthcare data, including electronic medical records (EMR) and electronic health records (EHR).