What are the main objectives of HIPAA?

The main objectives of HIPAA, or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, are centered around two primary goals: to ensure the portability of health insurance and to protect the privacy and security of healthcare information. Ensuring continuous health insurance coverage for workers is a significant aspect of HIPAA. It addresses situations such as job changes or loss, providing safeguards that help individuals maintain their health insurance coverage without facing undue barriers or delays.

The focus on maintaining insurance coverage is key in the employment context, especially for those transitioning between jobs or undergoing changes in their employment status. This objective supports overall patient access to healthcare and helps prevent gaps in insurance, which can negatively impact individual health outcomes.

While HIPAA does touch upon elements like standardization in healthcare coding and billing, its foremost intent is about portability and privacy protections rather than directly focusing on the creation of uniform laws across states or a national health database.