HIPAA Compliance
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was enacted by Congress in 1996 to protect the rights of health plan participants and their beneficiaries. Individuals and organizations that meet the definition of a covered entity under HIPAA must comply with certain requirements to protect the privacy and security of protected health information.
Why is HIPAA Important?
The HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules provide federal protections for protected health information held by covered entities, and gives each participant rights with respect to that information. At the same time, these rules are balanced so that they permit the disclosure of protected health information needed for participant care and other important purposes.
What is Included?
HIPAA regulates health care access, portability, renewability, privacy, and security, and includes:
- Specific rules surrounding pre-existing condition limitations.
- Special enrollment opportunities whenever an individual with health insurance loses coverage, or when a person becomes a new dependant through qualifying events such as marriage, birth, or adoption.
- Guaranteed small group coverage. Insurance carriers must provide small groups of 2 to 50 employees with guaranteed access to health insurance.
- The HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules, which provide safeguards to protect the confidentiality of protected health information and unauthorized access to that information.
How Does Paychex Insurance Agency Comply with HIPAA?
As a liaison between your business and your carriers, Paychex Insurance Agency maintains strict standards to maintain the privacy and security of protected health information and observe HIPAA requirements.
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