The HITECH Act

Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act 42 U.S.C. §§300jj, et seq. (2009), the HITECH Act, was passed to encourage the use of health information technology.

Under the Act, healthcare organizations covered by HIPAA have to report data breaches which concern more than 500 people to the Department of Health and Human Services and the victims of the breach themselves, as well as give public notice of the breaches.

The Act also gives an individual the right to request a copy of their electronic health records (EHR).