Wednesday, August 1, 2012

The Different Types Of HIPAA Compliance Forms


 In order for companies to be in compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, they must have the proper documentation. HIPAA compliance forms are pieces of documentation that help medical facilities and other businesses comply with the provisions of HIPAA regulations. This federal law, established by Congress, helps protect patient information of those individuals receiving medical care. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act is a very serious matter. If a company is not in compliance with HIPAA regulations there are severe and specific penalties. All medical environments in patient or out patient care must follow HIPAA regulations. In order to have a satisfactory policy compliance there has to be a streamlined effort from all fields and levels of medical information. Below we will discuss some important HIPAA compliance forms.

3 HIPAA Compliance Forms You Should Know About

1. A notice of privacy practices is a common privacy form that you could be familiar with. This document informs patients of the provisions of HIPAA. This document will most likely be given to you by a health care specialist. You could possibly be given this document when you visit a medical facility. The document is generally meant for patients to better understand the regulations that protect them and how they are implemented.

2. Another HIPAA document you could be familiar with is the form to release your medical information to others. This document can be signed by a patient if they wish to release their information to other individuals such as a new medical office. If you have been referred to a specialist by your family doctor you will need to sign a release form so your medical information can be sent over to the specialist.

3. Patient request forms are another type of HIPAA related medical form. This can include a Patient Health Information (PHI) form. Also included in this category could be a patients request for accounting of disclosures. This form would entail a list of any offices that have received their medical information from a certain medical office.

Among other HIPAA compliance forms, another informal document called a HIPAA checklist is also available. This document provides a checklist of all the compliance information a medical facility should be following. This document can serve as a checklist for medical managers to follow to prioritize compliance. Many medical offices create these checklists on their own, as they are not required by HIPAA. Even though they are not required they are a great way to keep your office in check.

With HIPAA you can rest assured that your medical information will be safe and secure. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act has changed the way medical information is transmitted and secured. When you travel to your doctor you will be able to understand the privacy documents you could be presented and realize that are they for your safety. HIPAA has dramatically decreased the fraud associated with health care. It continues to make our health care system more efficient and secure.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5329517

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