Brief HIPAA Glossary

Covered entity: All health plans, clearinghouses, and providers who electronically transmit any of the following transactions for which the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has promulgated standards: health care claims or equivalent information, health care payment or remittance advice, coordination of benefits, health care claims status, enrollment and disenrollment in a health plan, eligibility for a health plan, health plan premium payments, referral certification and authorization, first report of injury, health claims attachments, and other transactions as prescribed by HHS.

Covered provider: Providers who electronically transmit claims or other transactions listed under “covered entity” definition.

Protected health information: Individually identifiable health information, including demographic information, that is maintained or transmitted in any medium by a covered entity.