A rule issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to implement the privacy requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), a federal law that provides rights and protections for participants and beneficiaries in group health plans. The rule establishes national standards for the protection of certain health information, including standards addressing the use and disclosure of individuals’ health information and standards for individuals’ privacy rights to understand and control how their health information is used.