Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)
HIPAA Links
US Department of Health and Human Services
Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services
The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS), formerly HCFA, provides information on
regulations.
The California Office of HIPAA Implementation
- http://www.ohi.ca.gov/
CalOHI was established by legislation within the Health and Human Services Agency in the fall of
2001. CalOHI has responsibility for statewide leadership, coordination, policy formulation,
direction and oversight of HIPAA implementation in California.
CalOHI is organized for liaison with the federal government, State departments like CDVA, and the
Statewide Work Group (
SB 456 Fact Sheet.pdf (194K)).
CalOHI’s principal activities include:
- Reviewing and approving comments on proposed federal regulations;
- Working with the federal Department of Health and Human Services and the national organizations to identify and resolve questions and issues needing federal interpretation or decision;
- Providing State control agencies with information about HIPAA and helping to facilitate HIPAA program decisions needed from them;
- Working with our Advisory Committee composed of county and provider organizations, legislative staff, and advocates;
- Co-chairing the Steering Committee of the Statewide Work Group, and participating in all of the individual work groups (e.g., Privacy, Security);
- Disseminating implementation tools and templates developed by HIPAA Work Groups and our CalOHI team;
- Assigning liaison staff to assist each department with HIPAA implementation;
- Developing tracking and monitoring tools, and reports to advise the Administration and the Legislature on HIPAA status;
- Creating an infrastructure for HIPAA training, including Privacy training; and
- Reviewing and approving departmental proposals for funding, contracts, and information system development/modification
The CalOHI website includes implementation tools and templates, policy memoranda, a legal analysis of where HIPAA preempts State law, and links to federal websites. In addition, the website provides information to vendors about services CalOHI and departments will purchase through the HIPAA Master Services Agreement.
Health Care/Medical Associations
California State Workgroups
HIPAA Advisory Committee
The HIPAA Advisory Committee represents a broad base of health care stakeholders with diverse
backgrounds. Its primary functions are to gather and share HIPAA-related information, foster
communication among stakeholders, share best practices for HIPAA implementation, support health care
industry readiness to implement HIPAA, help resolve interpretation issues and serve as an overall
HIPAA resources to CalOHI. The Committee meets in Sacramento two times per year.
HIPAA Steering Committee & Workgroups
The Steering Committee is composed of the State and County entities impacted by HIPAA to share relevant
departmental issues and processes and to keep abreast with the latest developments from the workgroups.
The workgroups are subject matter working groups collaborating on the development of HIPAA tools and
templates, and resolving subject matter issues.
HIPAA Steering Committee Documents
Statewide Workgroups
HIPAA Workgroup Web Site
This is the link to the HIPAA Workgroup web site for workgroup members. State and County staff who need
access to the site should request authorization from the appropriate workgroup chairs.