Who has to adhere to privacy of medical information?

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations apply to “covered entities.”  Covered entities are health plans (e.g., health insurance companies, company health plans and certain government programs that pay for health care, such as Medicare and Medicaid), health care clearinghouses (e.g., billing companies), and most health care providers including doctors, clinics, hospitals, psychologists, chiropractors, nursing homes, pharmacies, and dentists.