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9. Is the government creating a centralized database with everyone's health records?

No. There are no provisions in the HIPAA law that create or propose to create such a database.

The purpose of the Administrative Simplification standards under the HIPAA law is to improve the functioning of the health care system by reducing costs and administrative burden. The government will not have access to the health care records that go between health plans and health care providers. Some states that already collect information about health care will continue to do so, but this is not a change caused by HIPAA.

The HIPAA law recognized the importance of protecting personal health information. The law requires new security standards and recommendations for more effective privacy legislation, all to protect the confidentiality of health care information. These requirements mean better protections for health care information than currently exist.

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