"HIPAA" is the common name for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-191). HIPAA covers "protected health information" - in other words, patient records and personal details that are collected, maintained, received, and transmitted by healthcare organizations, employers, and other institutions. The law requires all healthcare organizations to adhere to national standards for security, protection, privacy, and health information management. (HIPAAdvisory)