Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, or HIPAA, a “Public Health Authority” refers to an agency or authority of the United States, a State or territory, a political subdivision of a State or territory, or an Indian tribe, or a person or entity acting under a grant of authority from or contract with such public agency, including the employees or agents of such public agency or its contractors or persons or entities to whom it has granted authority, that is responsible for public health matters as part of its official mandate. The Iowa Cancer Registry is considered a Public Health Authority because the Iowa Administrative Code (IAC) mandates our duties. HIPAA law allows reporting facilities to transmit data to the Iowa Cancer Registry in compliance with state law for the purposes of public health surveillance.