The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) is  integral to the success of NASCO and the services it provides to the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans. 

NASCO is a business associate to the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans. A business associate performs a function or a service for an entity covered by HIPAA. In NASCO's capacity as a business associate, the use of protected health information is used to facilitate payment and health care operations for the covered entities of HIPAA, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans.

NASCO is committed to delivering excellent service to the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans. That commitment includes compliance with the applicable requirements of the HIPAA mandates.

There are many aspects to HIPAA. HIPAA was enacted in 1996 as a means to combat fraud and abuse and provide health insurance portability. Title II of HIPAA was established by Congress to:

• Provide individual rights of privacy and protection for uses and disclosures of health information - Federal Privacy Rule effective April 14, 2003

• Provide security controls to protect health information - Federal Security Rule effective April 20, 2005

• Provide standards and simplification for the administration of health care transactions, while promoting the security and privacy of health information - Federal Transaction and Code Set Rule effective August 17, 2000