Is HIPAA Only For Healthcare Providers?

The Privacy Rule under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a federal legislation. It became effective in 2003. HIPAA is a statute that protects medical privacy. Though a lot of people don’t know what it does.

HIPAA forbids the following from sharing consumers’ health information without their consent:

1. healthcare providers
2. health related businesses
3. administrative employees in health organizations
4. laboratories
5. pharmacies
6. health insurers

The HIPAA Privacy & Security Rules are implemented by the Office for Civil Rights (OCR). OCR is a division of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS). 

The HIPAA certification course offered by American HealthCare Academy is the right choice. If you are considering it for your business, don’t look further. It gives a fundamental overview and training in compliance with the HIPAA Act. This training program adheres to the federal regulations and data supplied by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Only health information stored by certain types of healthcare providers is protected under HIPAA. For instance, HIPAA typically does not apply to:

1. health information that may be on your Apple Watch or Fitbit
2. genetic information you enter on websites like Ancestry.com

Who needs HIPAA?

The Privacy Rule addresses the following as mandated by HIPAA:

1. Health programs
2. Clearinghouses for healthcare
3. Health care providers who use electronic means for some financial and administrative procedures. This includes financial transfers and electronic billing

What entities have to comply with HIPAA?

Companies that deal with patient health information are required to abide by HIPAA regulations. They become subject to fines if they do not. What are the entities to which HIPAA applies in addition to hospitals? Continue reading the article to find out the answer to this question.

The term “Covered Entity” refers to a variety of entities, some of which are listed below.

1. Healthcare Providers: HIPAA compliance is necessary for all healthcare businesses and institutions. This is because they gather protected health information (PHI). This covers healthcare facilities such as nursing homes, clinics, pharmacies, psychologists, etc.

2. Healthcare Plans: These include:

• Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs)
• Government-Funded Health Plans (Medicare & Medicaid)
• Government-funded health plans
• Health insurance companies
• Group health plans

3. Healthcare Clearinghouses: It covers all those healthcare clearinghouses that translate PHI data into a standard format for electronic transmission.

What are the benefits of HIPAA certification for healthcare providers?

Healthcare firms place a lot of value on HIPAA certifications. Let’s examine below why is HIPAA compliance important for your business:

1. HIPAA compliance is mandatory. Also, disobedience can be very costly. To understand your compliance status, you can benefit from undergoing a certification audit. It may reveal weaknesses and errors in your firm’s readiness for compliance.

2. Certifications help but they don’t guarantee ongoing compliance. They do show that your company has taken “good faith” attempts. Certification shows that it is HIPAA compliant. It may help the firm in the event of a breach or an audit.

3. HIPAA certification can provide trustworthy evidence of your organization’s compliance status. You can also share with new business prospects for building trust.

How to find a reliable HIPAA certification online? 

American HealthCare Academy is the best resource for getting HIPAA training and certification classes. They are entirely online and available at your convenience for taking and finishing. We provide downloadable and shareable certificates. You can add your certification to your credentials after completion.

This HIPAA course follows the Health and Human Services (HHS) Regulations. It is meant for members with access to Private Health Information (PHI). You can earn your HIPAA certification quickly, easily, and with national accreditation. The training is valid for two years, and exam attempts are limitless. Experts created the course materials and the instructions. After passing, you will be able to print your HIPAA wallet card right away.

Conclusion

Fines for HIPAA infractions have costly repercussions. As per American Medical Association (AMA), there may be both legal and criminal consequences for violating HIPAA. Register now with American HealthCare Academy and get yourself certified. Check out our website or get in touch with us at 1-888-277-7865.