Protect patient information, code honestly, and recognize fraud and abuse — HIPAA Privacy and Security, the False Claims Act, Anti-Kickback, Stark, and how audits work.
HIPAA in the coder's day
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HIPAA protects patients' protected health information (PHI): anything that identifies a patient and relates to their health or payment.
• Privacy Rule — who may see and share PHI; the 'minimum necessary' standard (look only at what you need to do your job).
• Security Rule — safeguards for electronic PHI: passwords, encryption, access controls, audit logs, secure remote work.
• Breach Notification — report breaches (lost laptop, misdirected email).
Remote coders: secure home workspace, no PHI on personal devices, lock your screen, never discuss cases publicly.