The Health Insurance
Portability and
Accountability Act (HIPAA)
is the catalyst for change
in healthcare. Enacted by
Congress on August 21, 1996,
its purpose is to enable
better access to health
insurance, reduce fraud and
abuse and lower the overall
cost of healthcare in the
United States.
HIPAA addresses the
primary concerns in
healthcare: portability,
accountability, security and
privacy of health data.