HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)

What it means

A US federal law whose Privacy Rule protects identifiable health information held or transmitted by covered health plans, health-care clearinghouses, and many health-care providers. HIPAA does not govern every medical or school record; FERPA generally covers education records maintained by schools receiving applicable federal funds.

Term details

Category: education

Regional use: us

Last source check: July 28, 2026

Source

Check this definition against hhs.gov. Open the source before making health, education, funding, or legal decisions because guidance can change.

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