abma630 week 9

Summary of Law Should your health information be private or released to the employers? The Health Insurance Profitability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) privacy rule allows protection of one’s identifiable health information. It gives everyone the rights over health insurance, the right to obtain a copy of your health insurance, and who can review/obtain your health insurance. This was created in 1966 by department of Health and Human Services to “assure that individual’s health insurance is properly protected while allowing the flow of health information needed to provide and promote high quality healthcare and to protect the public health and well-being”. (hhs.gov) HIPAA requires signed authorization from individuals before sharing their information to third parties, which restrict all covered entities from releasing protected health information. The HIPAA act affects not only employees but also health insurance companies, hospitals, clinics, and medical practices. HIPAA allows sharing information to only be useful in finding treatment, payment, and operation. (TPO) Any sharing done outside of TPO requires special permission. It also affects employers that offer group heath care insurance.
Relevance & Importance This is important legal issue that is important to me and many colleagues as current or future employees because it will effect our health insurance coverage plans, cost, and decreases chances to disclosure of personal information without any consent. It will allow us to get help coverage, lower chances of losing existing health care coverage, and help us buy individual insurance. The biggest problem is pre-existing condition if find out by companies may discriminate by denying coverage or extra charges may apply. There are chances that HIPPA may carry our chances of losing existing coverage, all higher chances to buying individual coverage. It will also play a big role when applying for new jobs and future employees because organization may not