BAA

BAA is a widely used acronym that can refer to several different entities and concepts, depending on the context. The most historically notable is the British Airports Authority, the United Kingdom’s government-owned body responsible for developing and operating major civil airports. Established in the mid-20th century, it oversaw key airports such as Heathrow, Gatwick, and others. The organization was privatized in the late 1980s and rebranded as BAA plc. In 2006, it was acquired by the Spanish infrastructure company Ferrovial. A corporate reorganization in 2012 separated the airport operating businesses into a holding company named Heathrow Airport Holdings Limited, and the BAA brand largely ceased to be used in aviation management.

Another common meaning is the Business Associate Agreement, a contract used in the United States to govern privacy and security requirements under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). A BAA is signed between a covered entity (such as a healthcare provider or payer) and a business associate that handles protected health information. The agreement specifies permitted uses and disclosures of PHI, requires appropriate safeguards, and outlines breach notification and other compliance obligations.

Beyond these, BAA may stand for various other organizations or concepts that use the same initials, depending on regional or sectoral contexts. When encountering the acronym, clarifying the domain or providing additional details is typically necessary to determine the exact meaning.