Under which act do patients have rights concerning the privacy of their health information?

Under which act do patients have rights concerning the privacy of their health information?

• A. Sarbanes-Oxley Act
• B. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
• C. Digital Millennium Copyright Act
• D. ISO/IEC 27005

Answer: (B)

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, often referred to as HIPAA, is the legislation that provides patients with rights regarding the privacy and security of their health information. Enacted in 1996, HIPAA established national standards to protect individuals' medical records and other personal health information. It requires healthcare providers, health plans, and clearinghouses to implement safeguards to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of health information while also granting patients certain rights over their data. This includes the right to access their health records, request corrections, and receive notifications about how their information is used and shared. The law aims to promote the protection of sensitive patient information and prevent data breaches, ensuring that health information is handled appropriately and securely. The other options do not pertain to health information privacy: the Sarbanes-Oxley Act focuses on corporate governance and financial practices; the Digital Millennium Copyright Act deals with copyright issues in the digital environment; and ISO/IEC 27005 provides guidelines for information security risk management. Each of these acts serves different purposes and is unrelated to the privacy of health information, highlighting why the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act is the correct choice.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, often referred to as HIPAA, is the legislation that provides patients with rights regarding the privacy and security of their health information. Enacted in 1996, HIPAA established national standards to protect individuals' medical records and other personal health information. It requires healthcare providers, health plans, and clearinghouses to implement safeguards to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of health information while also granting patients certain rights over their data.

This includes the right to access their health records, request corrections, and receive notifications about how their information is used and shared. The law aims to promote the protection of sensitive patient information and prevent data breaches, ensuring that health information is handled appropriately and securely.

The other options do not pertain to health information privacy: the Sarbanes-Oxley Act focuses on corporate governance and financial practices; the Digital Millennium Copyright Act deals with copyright issues in the digital environment; and ISO/IEC 27005 provides guidelines for information security risk management. Each of these acts serves different purposes and is unrelated to the privacy of health information, highlighting why the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act is the correct choice.