Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act

Approved by Congress in 1996

Final Privacy Regulations Issued December 2000

Effective Dates April 2003, April 2004

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act ("HIPAA") contained many varied provisions overhauling the healthcare industry. Among these, HIPAA required Congress to enact privacy legislation related to the privacy of individual healthcare information by August 21, 1999. Congress failed to do so. HIPAA also provided that, should Congress fail to act, the Department of Health and Human Services ("HHS") must promulgate regulations protecting the privacy of healthcare information. On December 28, 2000, the HHS published the final rule.

Government Agencies
Department of Health and Human Services
Health Care Financing Administration