U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

About Us

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR), enforces federal civil rights laws, conscience and religious freedom laws, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Rules, and the Patient Safety Act and Rule, which together protect your fundamental rights of nondiscrimination, conscience, religious freedom, and health information privacy at covered entities.

1. Federal Civil Rights Laws help to protect you from unfair treatment or discrimination because of your race, color, national origin, disability, age, or sex.

2. Federal Conscience and Religious Freedom Laws help to protect you from coercion, discrimination on the basis of conscience or religion, and burdens on the free exercise of religion.
If you believe that a covered entity discriminated against you or violated your (or someone else's) civil rights on the basis of your race, color, national origin, disability, age, or sex, you may file a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights (OCR).
The following are some examples of potential covered entities (including institutions and personnel) that must abide by federal civil rights laws:

State and local government agencies that are responsible for administering health care
State and local government income assistance and human service agencies
Hospitals
Medicaid and Medicare providers
Physicians and other health care professionals in private practice with patients assisted by Medicaid
Family health centers
Community mental health centers
Alcohol and drug treatment centers
Nursing homes
Foster care homes
Public and private adoption and foster care agencies
Day care centers
Senior citizen centers
Nutrition programs
Any entity established under the Affordable Care Act
Health insurance plans or companies
HMOs
Pharmacies
Homeless shelters
Health researchers

3. The HIPAA Privacy Rule is a federal law that gives you rights over your health information and sets rules and limits on who can look at and receive your health information. The Privacy Rule applies to all forms of individuals' protected health information, whether electronic, written, or oral. The HIPAA Security Rule is a federal law that requires security for health information in electronic form. In additionThe following are some examples of covered entities that must meet the requirements of the federal Privacy , the Patient Safety Act and Rule establishes a voluntary reporting system to enhance the data available to assess and resolve patient safety and health care quality issues, and provides confidentiality protections for patient safety concerns.

If you believe that a covered entity violated your (or someone else's) health information privacy rights or committed another violation under the HIPAA Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Rules or the Patient Safety Act and Rule, you may file a complaint with OCR. The following are some examples of covered entities that must meet the requirements of the federal Privacy Security and Breach Notification Rules: • Health Plans • Health care clearinghouses • and Health care providers that conduct a portion of their business electronically using a HIPAA covered transaction. OCR can investigate complaints against covered entities and their business associates. You may file a complaint for yourself, your organization, or for someone else.

Click here to file a complaint

If you need help filing a civil rights, conscience and religious freedom, or health information privacy complaint, please email OCR at OCRMail@hhs.gov or call 1-800-368-1019. We provide alternative formats (such as Braille and large print), auxiliary aids and services (such as a relay service), and language assistance.

If you need other information on this web site translated or provided in alternative formats, please email us at OCRMail@hhs.gov.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights Complaint Portal

About Us

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office for Civil Rights

Complaint Portal