HIPAA & UHCIA

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1996, protects the privacy of personal health information. HIPAA requires physicians and other health care providers to ensure that they are protecting the privacy and security of patients’ medical information and using a standard format when submitting electronics transactions such as submitting claims to payers.

The Uniform Health Care Information Act (UHCIA) was adopted in Washington in 1991. Its primary purpose is to protect patients’ privacy interests in health care matters and to restrict the dissemination of medical information for commercial purposes. It also enables patients to make informed decisions about health care and to correct inaccurate or incomplete information. Finally, the UHCIA provides direction for health care providers, health care facilities, patients and other persons on access to medical records.