Congress enacted the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in 1996. In December of 2000, the Secretary of the Department of Health And Human Services issued the Final Privacy Rules called for by HIPAA. Those Privacy Rules became effective on April 14, 2003.
HIPAA Privacy Rules require all "covered entities" to take reasonable steps to safeguard the privacy and confidentiality of health information that is in their possession. Arizona laws have protected the privacy and confidentiality of medical records for years, but HIPAA's coverage extends the protection to include billing records, health insurance records, and communications, in whatever form, whether hard copy, electronic, or oral.
Several departments and programs within Pima County are "covered entities" required to comply with the HIPAA Privacy Rules. The Pima County Board of Supervisors has declared that Pima County is a "hybrid entity" as defined by HIPAA, and designated those County departments and programs that are part of the Pima County Health Care Component (PCHCC). A list of the PCHCC members is attached.
All of the employees of the Pima County Health Care Component take their responsibilities under HIPAA very seriously. Pima Health System, Posada del Sol Healthcare Center, and the Pima County Health Department Clinics have developed Notices of Privacy Practices for their operations. You will find those Notices, and other information and links about HIPAA, on this site. (Please note that the Health Department Notice of Privacy Practices applies to the Kino Teen Center.)
Pima County has delegated responsibility for Privacy Official functions under HIPAA to the Civil Division of the Pima County Attorney's Office:
