Access | Newsroom | HealthIT.gov

Access | Newsroom | HealthIT.gov

Your Health Information, Your Rights.

Get it. Check it. Use it.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, gives individuals the right to see and get copies of their health information
, or share it with a third party, like a family member or a mobile device application. Having easy access to their health information empowers individuals to be more in control of decisions regarding their health and well-being.  Individuals can monitor chronic conditions better, understand and stay on track with treatment plans, find and fix errors, and contribute information to research if they choose.  

To help explain this important right to individuals and health care providers, ONC and OCR have developed easy-to-understand educational tools in English and Spanish.

HIPAA Access Videos

A series of short educational videos to help individuals better understand their right to see and get their health information and to have that information sent to others of their choosing (including family members, caregivers, or a mobile device application).

Video 1 - Individual's Rights under HIPAA to Access their Health Information: Video 1 provides a high-level overview of the HIPAA access rights and introduces  the topics of fees, timing and sharing health information with a third party. Length 3:27

Video 2 – HIPAA Access Associated Fees and Timing: Video 2 tells the story of Hannah, who is moving across the country.  At her last visit with her current doctor, Hannah asks to have a copy of her records to take with her.  The video helps explain the associated fees, forms and the time it may take for Hannah to get a copy of her records. Length 5:14

Video 3 – HIPAA Access and Third Parties: Video 3 tells the story of Martin
, who would like to share the health information in his medical record with a heart health application on his smartphone.  The video provides information on the right to provide access to a third party
, including a mobile application device.  Length 3:16

To learn more about your rights, visit OCR's Rights to Access Health Information under HIPAA Page

HIPAA Access Infographic

This infographic, titled Your Health Information, Your Rights, was created by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology and the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights.  The infographic includes facts pertaining to an individual's right to accessing their medical records, a demonstration of how to obtain medical records and tips for protecting health information.

To learn more about your rights, visit OCR's Rights to Access Health Information under HIPAA Page

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