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

About 2,400 years later, the notion that a patient’s medical information should remain private was codified into federal law as part of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, better known as HIPAA.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 24, 2024

In the U.S., health information is typically protected by what’s known as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 5, 2023

This “authorization” isn’t a standard doctor’s office notice detailing how they follow the health-privacy law known as HIPAA, or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

From Washington Post • May 1, 2023