Massachusetts Health & Accident Insurance Practice Exam

What does the HIPAA Privacy Rule primarily protect?

1. Individuals' right to access their medical records

2. Information practices related to treatment and billing

3. Individuals' health information confidentiality

4. Healthcare providers' right to disclose patient information

The correct answer is: Individuals' health information confidentiality

The HIPAA Privacy Rule primarily protects individuals' health information confidentiality. This rule establishes national standards for the protection of certain health information, ensuring that individuals' medical records and personal health information are kept private and secure. It limits the uses and disclosures of individuals’ health information without their consent and grants patients rights over their own health information, including the right to access their records. This emphasis on confidentiality means that healthcare providers, health plans, and other covered entities are required to implement safeguards to protect the privacy of personal health information and ensure that this information is only shared with authorized parties under specific circumstances. By maintaining strict control over who can access health information, the HIPAA Privacy Rule fosters trust between patients and healthcare providers, which is essential for effective healthcare delivery. The other options, while related to health information management, do not encapsulate the main focus of the HIPAA Privacy Rule. The right to access medical records, information practices related to treatment and billing, and healthcare providers' disclosure rights are important components of health information management but are not the central aspect of the Privacy Rule itself.