HIPPA

HIPAA: the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.

As electronic transfer technology advanced, Congress recognized the need for Federal privacy protections of individually identifiable health information and, therefore, passed this legislation in 1996 which mandated privacy protections.

Effective April 14, 2003, the HIPAA Privacy Rule is aimed at safeguarding the privacy of our residents through increased accountability in the areas of privacy and security. This Privacy Rule serves as foundation for Federal protections of Protected Health Information (PHI). The HIPAA Security Rule, effective April 20, 2005, sets forth more specific requirements and calls for protection of protected health information in electronic formats.

Hank Fisher Properties’ senior living communities are required to comply with the HIPAA Privacy Rule because we transmit electronically resident health information related to health care claims, payment or coordination of benefits and are called Covered Entities. (See

HFP’s Privacy Statement regarding electronic communications.) Historically, the company has sought to practice confidentiality and respect for resident privacy. We are pleased to use the Federal rules to guide Hank Fisher Properties practices related to the safe keeping of our resident’s Protected Health Information. If you have any questions or comments regarding the Notice of Privacy Practices, please feel free to contact HFP’s HR Officer at 916-485-1441.