HIPAA FAQs

A HIPAA violation can carry a penalty of more than $2 million, and intentional, unauthorized access to patient records can also trigger criminal charges with prison time. Compliance is in part legal framework (four core rules, national standards for privacy and security, phased enforcement priorities that shift year to year), part operational discipline (risk analyses, workforce training, business associate agreements, breach response plans), and part moving target, since HITECH expanded what the law covers, court rulings continue to reshape it, and adjacent federal rules including 42 CFR Part 2, the FTC Health Breach Notification Rule, and Information Blocking, add further layers on top. 

Below you’ll find FAQ pages covering the full scope of HIPAA: the fundamentals of PHI and who must comply, the four core rules and patient rights, enforcement and penalties, HIPAA’s intersection with cybersecurity threats like ransomware and AI, how it applies across radiology, telehealth, and health tech startups, common benefits and misconceptions, and the emerging issues reshaping the regulatory landscape in 2026. 

If you’re just getting oriented on what counts as PHI, or you’re deep into preparing for an OCR audit, these are meant to be answers you can dip into as needed rather than read start to finish. And if you’d rather just talk to someone directly, our team is happy to walk through your specific situation. Schedule a free consultation for a customized solution for your organization.