HIPAA Compliant

A Fully HIPAA Compliant Instant Messaging App


If you’re looking for a HIPAA compliant instant messaging platform that’s both encrypted and secure, ZUKKA is the perfect choice.

Instant Communication at ZUKKA Is Secure

ZUKKA is a messaging platform that offers instant, encrypted communication and fully adheres to HIPAA regulations. Our secure messaging service improves communication and efficiency, and includes a tailored agreement for each subscribing individual or company.

Real-time communication and data transfer security are ZUKKA’s top priorities. ZUKKA encrypts all data transfers, including text messages, files, video and voice chats, and even screenshots. With our peer-to-peer (P2P) technology, you can connect with other users and communicate securely. Be assured that communication stays between the intended users and is stored only on their mobile and desktop devices. No one can monitor or track any communication or data transfers on ZUKKA, as all features are safeguarded with additional layers of privacy through the private team chat network. It’s user-friendly, easy to administer, and simple to control.

What Is HIPAA?

HIPAA stands for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, a U.S. federal law designed to regulate the transfer and use of medical data to safeguard the security and privacy of personal patient information. With the rise in cyberattacks and health data breaches, healthcare providers and insurers have increasingly focused on complying with this legislation. HIPAA upholds patient rights by setting limits and rules on how medical information can be collected, shared, and accessed. It mandates that all data, especially in electronic form, be handled securely to prevent unauthorized access and misuse. Enacted by the U.S. Congress in August 1996 and signed into law by President Bill Clinton, HIPAA aims to achieve the following:

Create obligations for adhering to industry-wide health standards for e-invoicing and other processes involving personal data.
Provide the possibility of transferring and continuing health insurance coverage to countless US employees and their families when they lose or change jobs.
Require privacy and protection when working with sensitive personal information about a patient’s health status.
Establish guidelines to define the responsibilities of entities covered by the law and their business associates. It enforces severe penalties of up to $1.5 million per incident in cases of compliance violations as well as HIPAA privacy and security breaches.
Fight against abuse, waste, and fraud in the healthcare system when personal information is used within the medical sphere.

HIPAA Is Separated Into Five Title Sections:

Title 1: Health Insurance Portability

This title addresses people’s ability to retain their health insurance opportunities. It protects individuals who lose or change jobs, prohibits insurers from setting lifetime coverage limits, and mandates all group health plans to provide coverage to all individuals regardless of pre-existing conditions and diseases.


Title 2: Protection and Confidential Handling of Health Information

This title outlines regulations concerned with privacy requirements for healthcare organizations and suppliers, as well as their business service providers, requiring them to strictly follow procedures that guarantee the security and confidentiality of private health information when it is shared, sent, received, or used.

Title 2 applies to all forms of protected/personal health information (PHI), including verbal communication, physical documents, and electronic forms of communication, such as electronic health records (EHRs) and electronic protected health information (ePHI). It is important to note that, in this case, the only patient information that should be shared is that required for business purposes. The HIPAA Standards for Privacy Rule set the first national standard in the US to safeguard patients’ PHI and private information

Adhering to Title 2 of HIPAA is often called “being HIPAA compliant.” To avoid facing civil financial monetary penalties for HIPAA compliance violations, every healthcare organization, provider, or supplier must adhere to the following requirements:

* Follow a standardized electronic data interchange (EDI) procedure every time an insurance claim is submitted or processed.

* Possess a unique 10-digit national provider identifier number (National Provider Identifier or NPI).

* Ensure that all sensitive patient information, including clinical data, is properly encrypted, handled, and safeguarded at all times to guarantee patient privacy and the security of their health data.


Title 3: Tax-Related Health Provisions

Title 3 is a set of guidelines for a pre-tax medical savings account to determine how much may be saved per person. This enables self-employed professionals and employees covered by employer-sponsored insurance plans to access medical savings accounts. The law also provides for deductions for medical insurance and other tax-related provisions, along with other modifications to the health insurance law.


Title 4: Application and Enforcement of Group Health Plan Requirements

Title 4 adds further changes to the health insurance reforms, specifying eligibility for people with pre-existing conditions and patients requiring continued coverage. It also includes clarification of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA).


Title 5: Revenue Offset Governing Tax Deductions for Employers

Title 5 of HIPAA encompasses:
— Provisions for company-owned life insurance, such as forbidding company endowments, company-related contracts, and the tax deduction of interest on life insurance loans.
— Repeals the financial institution rule to interest allocation rules.
— Provides for the treatment of people who lost or gave up citizenship in the United States for income tax purposes. It also allows for the expatriation tax to be applied to those who have given up their US citizenship for tax reasons.


Who Falls Under the HIPAA Regulations?

In short, the HIPAA regulations cover any entity that electronically transfers medical records or healthcare-related billing records, including:

— Health plan suppliers.
— Healthcare clearinghouses
— Health care providers who process financial and administrative transfers electronically.
— It’s important to note that these entities fall under the privacy requirements even if they work under a business associate agreement when performing some of their general operations.

Who is under HIPAA regulation

All these enterprises and providers must ensure that only the minimum medical information necessary is shared, transferred, or used whenever business is conducted, adhering to HIPAA compliant standards. Protection should be provided by all the necessary means, such as by encrypting data at rest and in transit.

References