Which regulation ensures privacy and security of patient health information?

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is the regulation that specifically ensures the privacy and security of patient health information. Enacted in 1996, HIPAA created national standards to protect sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without the patient's consent or knowledge. It establishes requirements for how healthcare providers, health plans, and other entities handle personal health information, including rules regarding access rights and safeguards to protect data from unauthorized access. Compliance with HIPAA is essential for healthcare providers to maintain patient trust and ensure legal adherence when managing health information.

Other regulations mentioned, such as the Fair Labor Standards Act, focus on labor-related issues like wage standards and working hours, while the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act primarily addresses healthcare affordability and access rather than privacy. The Electronic Communications Privacy Act deals with the protection of electronic communications but does not specifically concentrate on health information security like HIPAA does.