HIPAA has identified specific types of health care entities that must comply with the Privacy standards.  These HIPAA Covered Entities have been organized and classified under the following groups: “Health Care” includes mental health related care and treatment information

Health Care Providers:

• Hospitals
• Clinics
• Doctor offices
• Other health care providers 

Health Plans:

• Health insurance companies
• HMOs
• Certain government programs (Medicare & Medicaid)
• VA & Military Insurance Plans

Clearing Houses:

• Medical billing company
• Re-pricing company

Impact on individuals:

Privacy is important to all of us, especially when dealing with sensitive information such as our personal medical information. The HIPAA Privacy Standards establish rules that limit who can access medical records, defines the appropriate usages of health information, and identifies the manner in which health information must be handled and maintained. The Privacy Standards also grant individuals certain rights for managing their health information. Individuals may request access to their information and request corrections when necessary. They also have the right to know who has access to their health information and how it is being used. 

HIPAA Security

The HIPAA Security Standards establish administrative, technical and physical safeguards to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the health information that HIPAA Covered Entities and Components create, receive, store, or disclosure remains secure and private.

HIPAA Transaction Code Sets (TCS)