Newsletters

Medical Privacy Violations

The "Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information," referred to as the "Privacy Rule," were established in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. The Privacy Rule standards address the use and disclosure of individuals' health information by those entities subject to the Rule.

Nurse-Patient Ratios

Understaffing has long been a problem for nurses in the United States. California is the first state in the nation to establish minimum nurse-to-patient ratios for California's acute care hospitals.

Health Coverage Tax Credit

The Internal Revenue Service provides a health coverage tax credit to certain taxpayers who receive a pension benefit from the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) or are eligible to receive certain Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) or who are eligible for the Alternate Trade Adjustment Assistance (ATAA) program. Taxpayers who qualify for the credit can claim a credit of 65% of the premiums paid for qualified health insurance.

Detention of Food under the Bioterrorism Act of 2002

The Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 authorizes the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to detain suspicious articles of food and keep them from entering the country if the food presents a serious threat to humans or animals.

Indian Health Service

The federal government has a legal obligation to provide health care to American Indians and Alaska Natives. Based on Article 1, Section 8 of the United States Constitution, federally-recognized Indian tribes and Alaska Native corporations are in a government-to-government relationship with the United States. Part of this relationship includes the provision of health services.