Final answer:
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was founded in 1996 to set standards for protecting patient information. It prevents unauthorized disclosure of individual health information and was part of broader efforts to protect personal health data, including the later implementation of GINA and healthcare reforms such as Obamacare.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was enacted in the year 1996. It was designed to provide standards for the protection of patient information and to ensure the confidentiality of patient records.
The Act requires entities such as insurance companies and healthcare providers to maintain strict confidentiality and sets guidelines on the use and sharing of individual health information.
HIPAA was a response to concerns about the possible misuse of personal health information and to prevent discrimination based on one’s health data, which was particularly pertinent after the completion of the Human Genome Project (HGP).
In addition to HIPAA, the United States also introduced the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) in 2008, which focuses on prohibiting genetic discrimination by health insurance companies and employers.
The discussion of HIPAA often parallels the conversation on healthcare reform, particularly with the introduction of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), commonly known as Obamacare, which was signed into law in 2010 and sought to expand healthcare coverage among Americans.