Hippa Assignment

1. What does “ HIPAA” stand for ?

Health

Insurance

Portability and

Accountability

Act

2. What is the purpose of the HIPAA law?

The HIPAA law is used to protect all individually identifiable health information in any form. Due to this law patient information is provided to staff on a “need to know” basis.

3. What do the initials “PHI” stand for?

Protected

Health

Information

4. List five specific examples of PHI.

• Name

• Address

• Age

• Medication

• Past Health conditions

5. According to HIPAA, can nurses and CNA’s discuss patients information in common areas like Nurses’ Stations, where conversations can be overheard? What about in a semi-private patient room?

Yes, nurses and CAN’s can discuss patient’s information in common areas and semi-private room. The HIPAA privacy Rule was not intended to prohibit providers from talking to others and to their patients. The Privacy Rule recognizes that oral communication often must occur freely and quickly in treatment settings. This allows covered entities to engage in communication as required for quick, effective, and high quality health care. Some precautions that should be made are lowering voices and talking apart from others when sharing protected health information. In some situations these precautions may not be practicable.

6. Fully describe the penalties for violating the HIPAA law.

Failure to comply with a Privacy Rule requirement HHS can impose civil money penalties on a covered entity of $100. This penalty cannot exceed $25,000 per year. When a violation is due to reasonable and does not involve willful neglect cause HHS may not impose a civil money penalty. This violation must have been corrected within 30 days of the violation. This penalty is known as the Civil Money Penalty. Another penalty

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