HIPAA stands for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. It is a federal law written with the intent to provide improved portability and continuity of health insurance coverage.

In brief, the law:

• Guarantees enrollment to individuals if certain conditions are met, and stipulates they cannot be charged more for benefits offered by a health plan, regardless of health status;
• Ensures the privacy of health information of the employee and families;
• Provides new rights to employees, allowing them to enroll in the health coverage of their employer if they have lost other coverage, or if they acquire a new dependent; and

HIPAA preserves the right of the individual states to regulate health insurance, including their authority to provide greater protections than those that HIPAA offers.