Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Glossary Definition

HIPAA, which became effective in August 1997, calls for electronic data interchange (EDI) use in medical transactions and also calls for protecting patient healthcare information. Enterprises face fines of up to $250,000 and 10 years imprisonment for wrongfully disclosing patient information.

See also HIPAA.

In security and compliance work, this term helps teams describe controls, risks, identity practices, standards, audits, or protective technologies. It is relevant when managing access, reducing exposure, documenting safeguards, or demonstrating accountability.