covered entities? what is that, you say!!!

As described by the US Department of Health and Human Services (2006), covered entities are:

• health plans
• health care clearinghouses
• health care providers who conduct certain financial and administrative transactions electronically....such as electronic billing and funds transfer

Reference: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (2006). Health information privacy: Who must comply with HIPAA privacy standards? Retrieved from http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/faq/covered_entities/190.html