Many  Community Action Programs and other Multi-Service Programs, because of the  services they offer, must now comply with the regulations as set forth by the  HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) ruling.  This workshop will discuss the purpose of  this landmark law, who needs to comply, and the important health issues HIPAA  covers. Special focus will be on the HIPAA Privacy Rule and the Federal standards for the privacy of “individually identifiable health  information” as well as the affect the  HIPAA Rule may have on the way in which you release information to entities  outside your agency.

Course Outline

       Because of the multitude of services Community Action Programs and other Multi-Service Programs offer, including medical and/or mental health services, many Programs are now finding themselves having to comply with HIPAA regulations.  This landmark law, enacted in 1996, has had a profound affect on how the Health Care Industry (and related entities) must now do business.

       This workshop will discuss the purpose behind the HIPAA ruling and who needs to comply with HIPAA regulations.  We will look at the issues HIPAA covers; the Portability of Health Insurance, Administrative Simplification and the HIPAA Privacy Rule.

       Special emphasis will be placed on the HIPAA Privacy Rule and protecting the privacy of “individually identifiable health information”.  We will look into the specific patient protections that HIPAA provides as well as the requirements that covered entities must now follow to further protect confidential information.  We will also discuss permitted uses and disclosures of personal information, when a specific authorization is necessary and the elements that must be included in an authorization