Importance of Healthcare Laws
Where there is no law, there is no sin. That is why the federal, state and local authorities have come up with different medical ethics and laws. The reason is simple- to protect the right of the patient, to ensure they have access to adequate medical care and also to see to it that the medical professionals are well-compensated. In the absence of law, different malpractices and unethical behavior will prevail. Life will be lost and culprits will go unpunished. To avoid this, laws are designed to avoid harm and protect the rights of everyone. Hence, whether you are a doctor or patients, you don’t have to be a lawyer to understand the laws guiding medical practices. Lisa Manziel, leader and founder of Manziel Law Offices, an organization helping many to navigate the ever-evolving healthcare laws and regulations bring to you important healthcare laws everyone must know.
HIPAA
The federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) was initially enacted to protect workers who lost their jobs. The health insurance policies can be carried from job to job and can also replace lost coverage at any selected group of health insurance plans. The act now serves as a standard protecting patients’ sensitive information from being disclosed without the patient’s knowledge. This is not only applicable to doctors. Whether you are a dentist, chiropractor, dietitian, pharmacists or psychologist, the law outlines how you can use, store and disseminate protected health information.
