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Survey: Many Employees Are Not Aware Of Their New Medical Privacy Rights
Less than two weeks in advance of the April 14 federally-mandated compliance deadline, employers appear not to have educated most employees about their privacy rights under the new Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). A majority of Americans (54%) are not familiar with the regulation and its approaching deadline, according to a national survey conducted by APCO Insight between March 7-26, 2003.
Further, 73% of the public says they have not yet received notification about the new regulations requiring health plans to protect medical information about employees. The survey also shows that men are significantly less aware of the regulation, with only 50% of men aware, compared to 58% of women.
In addition, the level of awareness increases with the level of education, with only 37% of those completing some high school being aware, as opposed to 49% of those with a post-graduate degree. Likewise, income proved relevant, with only 38% of the population making between $20,000-$40,000/year aware of the regulations, as opposed to 55% of those making more than $80,000/year.
For companies struggling to meet the April 14 deadline, Nicholas Delia, KBM Management says, "It has been our experience working with our clients on the HIPAA regulations that the new regulatory scheme appears complex and difficult to navigate, especially as applied to employers. However, there are practical tools available to help companies come into compliance as quickly as possible."
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