This document discusses the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and its requirements for protecting patient privacy and health information. It defines protected health information as including a patient's name, address, birth date, and any other information that can identify a patient. HIPAA requires that only the minimum necessary health information be accessed for treatment, payment and healthcare operations and that information be kept private and secure. Individuals are responsible for properly disposing of documents with protected health information and reporting any privacy breaches or improper disclosures of patient information.