What does HIPAA primarily regulate?

HIPAA, or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, primarily regulates the maintenance of patient information security. This law was established to protect sensitive patient information from being disclosed without the patient's consent or knowledge. HIPAA sets national standards for the protection of health information and ensures that individuals' medical records and other personal health information are properly safeguarded.

Under HIPAA, there are specific requirements for healthcare providers, health plans, and other entities that handle protected health information (PHI) regarding how they must secure and manage this information. This includes guidelines on electronically storing and transmitting health records, ensuring confidentiality, and implementing appropriate safeguards against data breaches.

The focus on information security underscores the importance of privacy in healthcare, allowing patients to have trust in the systems that manage their personal health data. While HIPAA does touch upon aspects like the portability of health insurance and certain standards related to healthcare providers, its primary objective is to secure and protect patient information.