HIPAA privacy regulations have been the subject of countless hours of study, analysis, and compliance efforts within the health care industry and beyond. Almost two decades later, and more than 15 years after the first edition of this book, the privacy and security requirements of HIPAA are the subject of significant confusion and uncertainty. As the laws and social pressure evolve and tighten the reigns on health care privacy, patients and providers will continue to become more concerned about maintaining the security and privacy of data while rising to the challenge of balancing privacy while promoting patient access and quality care. This revised and updated edition creates a useful guide for those who are new to HIPAA as well as provide updates for seasoned veterans of HIPAA. This book expands on the first edition and includes the Security Rule, the HITECH Act, and the Breach Notification Rule along with extensive discussion about HIPAA’s parameters, practical applications, and lessons learned over the past 15 years. To assist you in complying with HIPAA’s complex requirements, this book also includes forms and experiential anecdotes that you will find helpful in your ongoing HIPAA compliance efforts.