Final answer:
HIPAA, passed in 1996, ensures the confidentiality of patient records and the portability of health insurance, but does not exclusively handle health information privacy in government institutions or the Hippocratic Oath principle.
Step-by-step explanation:
HIPAA Legislation of 1996
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 is a significant piece of legislation that addresses the protection of patient information. The primary objective of HIPAA is to set standards for ensuring the confidentiality of patient records while facilitating the portability of health insurance. Moreover, HIPAA helps in safeguarding against the unauthorized release of individually identifiable health information to entities not involved in a patient's healthcare. Crucially, HIPAA also plays a role in aiding the promotion of electronic health records, which are critical for improving healthcare quality and reducing costs. However, the legislation itself does not tackle the privacy of health information held exclusively in government institutions, nor does it address the Hippocratic Oath's principle of "First, do no harm" directly.