About the Office for Civil Rights

Federal civil rights laws and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule, together protect your fundamental rights of nondiscrimination and privacy. 

Civil Rights help to protect you from unfair treatment or discrimination, because of your race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex (gender), or religion. Learn more about your civil rights>>

The Privacy Rule protects the privacy of your health information; it says who can look at and receive your health information, and also gives you specific rights over that information.   Learn more about your health information>>

Information about OCR:

• Mission
• Vision
• Organization Chart
• Headquarters and Regional Addresses
• FY 2009 President's Budget Request for OCR [PDF - 244KB]
• FY 2009 Online Performance Appendix [PDF- 270KB]
• FY 2008 Annual Performance Report for OCR [PDF - 531KB]
• FY 2008 President's Budget Request for OCR [PDF- 352KB]
• Impact of Changes (FY 2007 Budget) and Summary of Measures [PDF- 20KB]
• FY 2007 President's Budget Request for OCR [PDF - 290KB]