| Protecting the Civil Rights and Health Information Privacy Rights of People Living with HIV/AIDS| | HIV/AIDS and Healthcare Disparities  A Picture of Today’s HIV/AIDS Epidemic in the U.S. - According to the CDC, in 2007, there were 42,655 (including children) new HIV/AIDS diagnoses in 34 states with long-term, confidential name-based HIV-reporting. By race/ethnicity, 51% were Blacks, 29% were Whites, 18% were Hispanics/Latinos, 1% were Asians, and less than 1% each were Native Hawaiians/Other Pacific Islanders or American Indians/Alaska Natives. OCR conducts outcome-oriented civil rights enforcement to prevent and address HIV-related stigma and discrimination among these population groups. Our enforcement efforts are specifically directed at protecting the civil rights and health information privacy rights of people living with HIV, increasing access to quality health care, and reducing HIV-related healthcare disparities.
| | | Civil Rights OCR ensures that people have equal access to and an opportunity to receive services from all HHS funded programs. Persons who believe they (or someone else) have been discriminated against -- because of race, color, national origin, age, or disability (including HIV/AIDS) -- in health care or human services may file a complaint with OCR.
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| | Health Information Privacy Rights OCR also enforces the HIPAA Privacy Rule, a set of federal standards to protect the privacy of patients' medical records and other health information maintained by covered entities: health plans; most doctors, hospitals and many other health care providers; and health care clearinghouses. These standards provide patients with access to their medical records and with significant control over how their personal health information is used and disclosed. Persons with HIV/AIDS who believe that their health information privacy rights have been violated may file a complaint with OCR.
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