Guidelines for Compliance with HIPAA Privacy Rule
In Brief:
The Department of Health and Human Services has
released guidelines for implementation of the HIPAA Privacy Rule.
The DHHS Office of Civil Rights, which is responsible
for enforcement of the HIPAA Privacy Rule, has released guidelines to assist
HIPAA covered entities in complying with the Privacy Rule. The new guidelines
are based on modifications contained in the final rule that was published in
August 2002 and replace all previous guidelines. The Privacy Rule becomes
effective April 14, 2003 and all covered entities must be in compliance by
that time.
The guidelines provide a description and answers to
frequently asked questions about the following standards contained in the
Privacy Rule:
- Incidental Uses and Disclosures
- Minimum Necessary
- Personal Representatives
- Business Associates
- Marketing
- Uses and Disclosures for
Treatment, Payment, and Operations
- Public Health
- Research
- Workers’ Compensation Laws
- Notice
- Government Access
The guidelines as well as the final rule are available
online at
www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/privacy.html.
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