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So what does HIPAA mean and where did it come from? The letters stand for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. The term originated with the federal law of the same name, which created a national standard to protect sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without a patient’s knowledge or consent.

Rita Bowen is likely one of very few people who can say she provided comment to HHS on both the original version of HIPAA and its most recent proposed changes. She joins us on Healthcare Upside Down to talk about getting HIPAA can function the way it was intended despite a world that has changed dramatically since its inception.

Rita Bowen, MA, RHIA, CHPS, CHPC, SSGB

Bowen is an established author and speaker on healthcare privacy and security. She is an active member of the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), having served as its President and Board Chair, as a member of the Board of Directors and of the Council on Certification, and currently sits on the AHIMA Foundation Board of Directors. In her role at MRO, Bowen works with clients to ensure HIM policies and procedures are to code. Additionally, Bowen serves as the company’s Privacy and Compliance Officer (CPO).

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