HIPAA Medical Privacy Rule: Information for NC Public Agencies

 

Welcome

Many local government agencies throughout North Carolina - including health departments, area mental health authorities, emergency medical services departments and most departments of social services agencies - must come into compliance with a sweeping new federal medical privacy law by April 2003 (commonly referred to as the "HIPAA privacy rule"). This website, offered by the UNC Institute of Government (IOG), is designed to provide support to these local government agencies as they work towards implementing the HIPAA privacy rule.

Background

This area briefly summarizes the origin and purposes of the Administrative Simplification regulations published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under the authority granted by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).

Resources

This area includes papers, outlines and other materials prepared by IOG faculty members, as well as links to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and other useful websites. Most of these materials were developed by faculty members in connection with a specific training session offered in the past.

FAQs

Many local government agencies are encountering the same problems and concerns. This area includes responses IOG faculty members to several frequently asked questions.

Listserv

This area allows any member of the public to subscribe to the medicalprivacy listserv. This listserv is intended to provide an opportunity for local government officials to discuss HIPAA-related issues throughout the compliance process.

Contacts

This area includes contact information for IOG faculty members with expertise in the HIPAA privacy rule.