Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is an act created by the U.S. Congress in 1996 that amends both the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and the Public Health Service Act (PHSA). HIPAA was enacted in an effort to protect individuals covered by health insurance and to set standards for the storage and privacy of personal medical data.