US Medical Term · regulatory
Covered Entity
Entidad Cubierta
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Covered Entity |
| Spanish (Español) | Entidad Cubierta |
| Chinese (中文) | 受覆盖实体 |
| Korean (한국어) | 적용 대상 기관 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Thực thể được bảo vệ |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Saklaw na Entidad |
| Portuguese (Português) | Entidade Coberta |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | หน่วยงานที่อยู่ภายใต้กฎหมาย HIPAA |
| Japanese (日本語) | 適用対象機関 |
What it means
Under the federal HIPAA Privacy Rule, a covered entity is one of three types of organizations that are directly required by law to protect your private health information: health plans (including insurers, HMOs, Medicare, and Medicaid), healthcare clearinghouses (companies that process billing transactions), and most healthcare providers who transmit health information electronically—including doctors, dentists, hospitals, pharmacies, and nursing homes. Covered entities must follow strict rules about who can see your health records, how they must safeguard data, and what privacy notice they must give you. If you believe a covered entity has violated your privacy rights, you can file a complaint with the HHS Office for Civil Rights at no cost.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
My doctor's office is a covered entity and must protect my health information under HIPAA.
El consultorio de mi médico es una entidad cubierta y debe proteger mi información de salud bajo HIPAA.
Health insurers are covered entities that must follow HIPAA privacy rules.
Las aseguradoras de salud son entidades cubiertas que deben seguir las reglas de privacidad de HIPAA.
You can file a complaint if a covered entity shares your records without your permission.
Puede presentar una queja si una entidad cubierta comparte sus registros sin su permiso.
Where you'll see it
Related terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026