The federal agency responsible for implementing and enforcing certain federal laws that govern health plans. HHS is comprised of the Office of the Secretary and 11 operating divisions, which includes the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). HHS is responsible for enforcing parts of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) (see HIPAA Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Toolkit), as well as other group health plan mandates.

HHS is also responsible for implementing certain provisions under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and shares responsibility, along with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Department of Labor (DOL), for enforcing the ACA. For analysis of the ACA and its compliance implications for employers, see the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Overview.

For further information about HHS, see the HHS website.