Hipaa’s Latest Privacy Rule

Abstract

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 final medical information privacy rule was published on August 14, 2002, in the Federal Register. This version modifies the rule issued under the Clinton administration in 2000. Some key changes were made to the provisions for marketing, consent and notice, uses and disclosures regarding FDA-regulated products and activities, incidental use and disclosure of health information, authorization requirements, minimum necessary standards exemption, business associates contracts, research authorization to use protected health information, and a limited data set for use in research, public health, and health care operations. Privacy protection groups criticize the changes as a significant weakening of privacy standards, whereas health care business groups see the changes as making the rule more “workable.”