What does the HIPAA privacy rule primarily limit?

The HIPAA privacy rule primarily limits how personal health information can be used. This regulation is designed to protect individuals' medical records and other personal health information to ensure that such information is kept private and secure. It establishes national standards for the protection of certain health information, detailing how healthcare providers, health plans, and other entities must handle patient data to maintain confidentiality and privacy.

The focus of the HIPAA privacy rule is not solely on communication methods between providers and patients, the storage of health records, or the processing of claims. Instead, it emphasizes the conditions under which personal health information can be used and disclosed, requiring healthcare providers to obtain patient consent before sharing sensitive information and giving patients rights over their health information, such as the right to access their records and request corrections.