HIPAA

American  

[hip-ah] / ˈhɪp ɑ /

noun

1. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996: U.S. government legislation that ensures a person's right to buy health insurance after losing a job, establishes standards for electronic medical records, and protects the privacy of a patient's health information.

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Example Sentences

Under HIPAA, a healthcare provider may use a patient’s information for treatment, payment and routine operations.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 5, 2025

HIPAA, a federal law that protects the privacy and security of patient health information, only applies to “covered entities” — i.e., healthcare providers, insurers and clearinghouses — and their business associates.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 21, 2025

Lawmakers in favor of the initiative have said it simply clarifies parents’ existing rights and does not change or supersede existing laws like HIPAA.

From Seattle Times • May 23, 2024

That’s a flaw in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, or HIPAA, which purports to protect individuals’ health information from disclosure by providers except in narrow circumstances.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 12, 2024

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, known as HIPAA, restricts how hospitals, doctors’ offices and other “covered health entities” share Americans’ health data.

From Washington Post • Feb. 13, 2023