Health Insurance Now !

Author Archive

Don’t confuse HIPAA laws with true protection. It is quite common for many of us to read quickly through or barely skim the authorization form before signing it. But it is important to know that these laws are in place to protect you from identity theft. It was once thought to protect from being denied care or being denied health insurance coverage, but that no longer holds true.

In 1996 passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. These laws enacted a new standard for the protection of your health information. When you go to various physicians or hospitals, your health information must follow, for your protection. These laws help to continually protect your health information while it passes from venue to venue. As transactions are more prone to be completed electronically, HIPAA laws are your protection of your personal information through these specific channels.

So what does HIPAA protect? It protects personally identifiable information, such as your Social Security number, birth date, address, etc., as well as current, past, or even future physical and/or mental conditions or treatment. Such information may not be disclosed except for specific uses. Information that it does not cover must specifically be personally non-identifiable. In protecting this sort of information, there is more protection against identity theft and more recourse if such a thing should happen.

HIPAA laws also define how health insurance providers can use your information. They may only use your information without your permission if it is necessary to provide the best health care, sending information to you and, of course, collection on medical expenses. Any other reasons to transfer this information must be authorized by you, in writing. In addition, any authorization must be in plain English so it is understood that you know exactly what you are signing.

It was once believed that these health information laws covered customers from being denied access to medical insurance. This is only true in some cases. For example, it may protect you from being denied health coverage through an employer. But as insurance companies continuously work on being more profitable by denying more coverage, you are more likely to not be protected.

Since the Insurance Portability section of HIPAA falls short these days, it is important that we find more protection so we are not denied health insurance coverage for any reason. Learn more about the laws in your state from your local, state government. Then seriously consider if privatization is in the best interest of America or the insurance companies.

Learn more about real personal health protection and personal health insurance thoughts for personal accountability