Dear Customer (name blocked for privacy),
With the topic of "heath sciences" I assume this is homework.
HIPAA regulations are absolutely necessary in the electronic age and in an age when all medical information about a person, from who is or could be HIV positive to who has high cholesterol, if not protected, could lead to discrimination which, without HIPAA could may go undetected. Personal medical information may, if not protected, allow employers to just not hire persons, regardless of health, simply because they have certain factors or indicators that they could become expensive to insure. Moreover, identity theft may be the fastest growing crime in the world. Although we think of HIPAA as only applying to medical information, it also included social security number, address, name, etc., which information would not normally be protected under state laws that prevent businesses (normally defined to not include insurance companies, doctors, or their service providers) from being available to identity thieves or to at least provide consumers with compensation if their identity is not protected.
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PLEASE NOTE: Responses here are for information/education only, NOT legal advice and do not form attorney-client relationship! Only licensed attorneys you hire in your state can provide legal advice.
