Which legislation is known for protecting patient confidentiality of medical records and prescription history?

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, commonly referred to as HIPAA, is primarily known for establishing national standards to protect the privacy and security of individuals' medical records and other personal health information. The act ensures that patients have rights over their health information, including the right to access their records and request corrections.

It mandates strict guidelines on who can access a patient's medical information and how it must be handled. This level of protection extends to medical records and prescription histories, making it a crucial piece of legislation in safeguarding patient confidentiality.

While other pieces of legislation, like the Medicare Modernization Act and the Affordable Care Act, focus on access to health care and insurance coverage, they do not specifically address confidentiality issues in the same manner as HIPAA. The Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act relates to the regulation of certain drugs rather than patient record confidentiality.