What is HIPAA/HITECH?

HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) is a US law designed to provide privacy standards to protect patients' medical records and other health information provided to health plans, doctors, hospitals and other health care providers. The HITECH (Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health) Act, enacted as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, was created to promote the adoption and meaningful use of health information technology. It addresses the privacy and security concerns associated with the electronic transmission of health information, strengthening HIPAA rules and increasing penalties for violations.