Question

This U.S. federal law is the most important healthcare information regulation in the United States. It directs the adoption of national standards for electronic healthcare transactions while protecting the privacy of individual's health information. Other provisions address fraud reduction, protections for individuals with health insurance and a wide range of other healthcare-related activities. Est. 1996.

Answer 1

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), established in 1996, is a crucial U.S. federal law for protecting health information privacy during electronic healthcare transactions and ensuring the confidentiality of patient records.

Step-by-step explanation:

The U.S. federal law in question is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), established in 1996. It is critical for maintaining the privacy and security of individual's health information, especially in the era of electronic healthcare transactions. HIPAA applies to a variety of entities, including insurance companies and healthcare providers, ensuring that they keep patient records confidential and reduce healthcare fraud. One should not confuse HIPAA with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), also known as Obamacare, which was signed into law in 2010 and aims to bring the U.S. closer to universal coverage, among other healthcare reforms. HIPAA's importance lies in its foundational role in protecting patient privacy in a rapidly digitizing healthcare system.