Fact Sheet The Health Insurance Portability And Accountability Act (HIPAA) U.S. Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration December 2004 The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) offers protections for millions of American workers that improve portability and continuity of health insurance coverage. HIPAA Protects Workers And Their Families By Limiting exclusions for preexisting medical conditions (known as preexisting conditions). Providing credit against maximum preexisting condition exclusion periods for prior health coverage and a process for providing certificates showing periods of prior coverage to a new group health plan or health insurance issuer. Providing new rights that allow individuals...