Passed in 1996, HIPAA requires employers to provide health insurance coverage to employees who lose or change jobs, and includes an administrative simplification section which deals with the standardization of healthcare-related information systems including data security, protection of patient confidentiality and privacy. The Act mandates standardized formats for all patient health, administrative, and financial data; unique identifiers (ID numbers) for each healthcare entity, including individuals, employers, health plans and health care providers; and security mechanisms to ensure confidentiality and data integrity for any information that identifies an individual.