On April 14, 2003, new federal regulations to protect medical privacy went into effect. The law, known as Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), creates a national standard for medical privacy and gives patients greater control over their personal health information. Healthcare providers -- including doctors, dentists, pharmacists, psychotherapists -- as well as hospitals and most health plans, must adopt and follow policies to safeguard the privacy of health information.
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