Headspace is a digital mental health platform that provides mindfulness tools, behavioral coaching, therapy, and psychiatric services through its merger with Ginger.
With Headspace, individuals and organizations can access both wellness content and clinical care, including services delivered by licensed providers under Ginger Medical.
Is Headspace HIPAA compliant? Yes, based on our research, Headspace can be HIPAA compliant.
Yes, Headspace will sign a business associate agreement, which can be reviewed here.
The Headspace Health BAA covers the use and disclosure of protected health information (PHI) when services are delivered by its affiliated medical providers. Their enterprise security documentation states that Headspace maintains compliance with HIPAA, HITRUST, SOC 2 Type II, and ISO 27001 standards to protect sensitive health data.
Their BAA covers:
Headspace’s BAA does not apply to its consumer-facing meditation app when used independently of clinical services. Their privacy policy states, “If you use the Headspace app without engaging in services provided by Ginger Medical, your data is not subject to HIPAA protections.”
This means that guided meditations, sleep content, and mindfulness exercises accessed outside of a clinical context are not covered under HIPAA.
Headspace signs a BAA and is therefore HIPAA compliant.
Learn more: HIPAA Compliant Email: The Definitive Guide
A business associate agreement (BAA) is a legally binding contract establishing a relationship between a covered entity under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and its business associates. The purpose of this agreement is to ensure the proper protection of personal health information (PHI) as required by HIPAA regulations.
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) sets national standards for protecting the privacy and security of certain health information, known as protected health information (PHI).
HIPAA is designed to protect the privacy and security of individuals’ health information and to ensure that healthcare providers and insurers can securely exchange electronic health information. Violations of HIPAA can result in significant fines and penalties for covered entities.
HIPAA applies to covered entities, which include healthcare providers, health plans, and healthcare clearinghouses. It also applies to business associates of these covered entities. These are entities that perform certain functions or activities on behalf of the covered entity.