First off, it's HIPAA NOT "HIPPA".
Second, there's no remedy for personal damages or suppression of evidence in criminal actions for violation of HIPAA. The only remedy under HIPAA is that the US. Dept. of Health and Human Services can sanction a health care provider/insurer so long as they fall under the Act as a "covered entity":
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/index.html
There may be remedies under your state law medical privacy statutes though. HIPAA explicitly only supersedes those state regulations that are less stringent, anything more stringent or protective of an individual's information is fine.
Under HIPAA any release of PHI (protected health information) must be authorized in writing. Any releases may be withdrawn by a patient at any time, in writing as well.
The HIPAA regulations are very extensive and difficult to wade though and a lot of attorneys who don't specialize in medical law will think they know what the Act covers while actually having little to no idea; be careful not to fork a bunch of money over to some yahoo attorney who thinks you can sue under HIPAA.
Second, there's no remedy for personal damages or suppression of evidence in criminal actions for violation of HIPAA. The only remedy under HIPAA is that the US. Dept. of Health and Human Services can sanction a health care provider/insurer so long as they fall under the Act as a "covered entity":
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/index.html
There may be remedies under your state law medical privacy statutes though. HIPAA explicitly only supersedes those state regulations that are less stringent, anything more stringent or protective of an individual's information is fine.
Under HIPAA any release of PHI (protected health information) must be authorized in writing. Any releases may be withdrawn by a patient at any time, in writing as well.
The HIPAA regulations are very extensive and difficult to wade though and a lot of attorneys who don't specialize in medical law will think they know what the Act covers while actually having little to no idea; be careful not to fork a bunch of money over to some yahoo attorney who thinks you can sue under HIPAA.