Which law established patient rights concerning the access of their medical records?

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is the law that established patient rights concerning access to their medical records. Enacted in 1996, HIPAA's Privacy Rule grants patients the right to access and inspect their health information stored by healthcare providers and health plans. This legislation was created to protect individual health information from being disclosed without the patient’s consent while also ensuring that patients have the ability to view and obtain copies of their medical records.

HIPAA includes specific provisions on how patients can request access, the time frames in which they must receive their records, and the fees that can be charged for copying records. By granting these rights, HIPAA empowers patients and reinforces their ability to participate actively in their healthcare decisions by having clear visibility into their personal health information.

The other laws mentioned relate to healthcare in various general ways but do not specifically focus on the rights of patients to access their medical records in the same manner that HIPAA does. For instance, the HITECH Act builds on HIPAA to promote electronic health records but does not independently establish patient rights. Similarly, the Veterans Health Care Eligibility Reform Act focuses on veterans' healthcare benefits rather than access to medical records, and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act mainly addresses health insurance