Confidential Record Security and Document Destruction is now the law.
The United States Government has recognized the importance of protecting an individual's privacy and personal information. In response, there have been some major enactments that now protect the individual from the misuse and mishandling of information by businesses. Here are two of the major Federal Laws you should be aware of:
H.I.P.A.A. - Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.
All of an individual's health information should not be available to any non-essential personnel. It should not be left in an unsecured location and must be disposed of under proper conditions. Read more about the H.I.P.A.A. Law by going to these links:
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/
H.I.P.A.A. Law
http://aspe.hhs.gov/admnsimp
/pl104191.htm
Health Privacy Project
Institute for Health Care Research and Policy
Georgetown University
http://www.healthprivacy.org/usr_doc
/RegSummary02.pdf
Indiana H.I.P.A.A. Workgroup
http://www.indianahipaa.org/
The Gramm-Leach Bliley Act
The Financial Modernization Act of 1999, also known as the "Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act" or GLB Act, includes provisions to protect consumers’ personal financial information held by financial institutions.
Federal Trade Commission
http://www.ftc.gov/privacy/
privacyinitiatives/glbact.html
FTC Business Alert
Disposing of Consumer Report Information? New Rule Tells How
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs
/alerts/disposalalrt.pdf
