How Hipaa Violations Affect the Medical Billing Process
How HIPAA Violations Affect The Medical Billing Process
HCR/220
September 23. 2012
How HIPAA Violations Affect The Medical Billing Process
HIV and AIDS are two very serious diseases which first came known and reported in the U.S. in 1981. Today it is estimated that 1.7 million people in the U.S. have been infected with HIV since that date 619,000 people have already died from it. The CDC, (Center For Disease Control) estimates that every one in five people living with HIV, are unaware that they even have it. With a serious medical condition such as this, it is good that the HIPAA privacy act exists because the privacy of every patient’s medical information, including any information about AIDS and HIV, will be protected and is to remain confidential.
AIDS is caused by a retrovirus known as HIV, which infects and kills the T-cells of the body’s immune system. HIV destroys CD4 cells, which is a type of white blood cells that helps the body fight diseases. The more CD4 cells that die, the weaker your immune system will be. As the CD4 cells are destroyed by HIV, the body will begin to develop other infections that would not normally affect it therefore making those who suffer from AIDS unable to fight off infections. In order to become infected with HIV, vaginal secretions, semen, or infected blood must enter your body. A person can’t catch HIV from ordinary contact such as hugging, kissing, or even shaking hands. HIV can also not be transmitted through, water, air, or even a mosquito bite.
Knowing exactly what HIPAA, (Health Insurance Probability and Accountability Act), is and understanding how the implications from the prospective of the HIPAA confidentiality. In 1996 HIPAA was enacted by Congress as a way to protect the patient’s health information from being inappropriately used. The restrictions made by HIPAA have changed how medical records are handled and who can access the patient’s information. There are four parts to HIPAA, the first part is the
HCR/220
September 23. 2012
How HIPAA Violations Affect The Medical Billing Process
HIV and AIDS are two very serious diseases which first came known and reported in the U.S. in 1981. Today it is estimated that 1.7 million people in the U.S. have been infected with HIV since that date 619,000 people have already died from it. The CDC, (Center For Disease Control) estimates that every one in five people living with HIV, are unaware that they even have it. With a serious medical condition such as this, it is good that the HIPAA privacy act exists because the privacy of every patient’s medical information, including any information about AIDS and HIV, will be protected and is to remain confidential.
AIDS is caused by a retrovirus known as HIV, which infects and kills the T-cells of the body’s immune system. HIV destroys CD4 cells, which is a type of white blood cells that helps the body fight diseases. The more CD4 cells that die, the weaker your immune system will be. As the CD4 cells are destroyed by HIV, the body will begin to develop other infections that would not normally affect it therefore making those who suffer from AIDS unable to fight off infections. In order to become infected with HIV, vaginal secretions, semen, or infected blood must enter your body. A person can’t catch HIV from ordinary contact such as hugging, kissing, or even shaking hands. HIV can also not be transmitted through, water, air, or even a mosquito bite.
Knowing exactly what HIPAA, (Health Insurance Probability and Accountability Act), is and understanding how the implications from the prospective of the HIPAA confidentiality. In 1996 HIPAA was enacted by Congress as a way to protect the patient’s health information from being inappropriately used. The restrictions made by HIPAA have changed how medical records are handled and who can access the patient’s information. There are four parts to HIPAA, the first part is the
References: AIDS Info (2012), Offering Information on HIV/AIDS Treatment, Prevention, and Research. Retrieved September 18, 2012, from http://aidsinfo.nih.gov Biel-Cunningham, S. (2003). Understanding Your Rights Of Insurance Portability. Retrieved July 28, 2009, from http://www.thebody.com/content/art32201.html U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2012), Improving the health, safety, and well-being of America. Retrieved on September 19, 2012, from http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/civilrights/resources/specialtopics/hiv/ Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (2012), Retrieved on September 21,2012, from http://www.hivatwork.org/law/hipaa.cfm