Which federal law protects the privacy of individually identifiable health information?

• A. HIPAA
• B. ADA
• C. FERPA
• D. OSHA

Answer: (A)

HIPAA's Privacy Rule establishes nationwide standards to shield health information from unnecessary disclosure. It applies to covered entities—like health plans, healthcare providers that transmit information electronically, and their business associates—and protects health information in any form: paper, electronic, or spoken. It gives individuals rights to access their records, request corrections, and know who has seen their data, while narrowly restricting how information can be used or shared without consent, with specific allowed disclosures for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations.

Disability rights law (the ADA) focuses on preventing discrimination and ensuring accessibility for people with disabilities. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects the privacy of students’ education records. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) concentrates on workplace safety standards and related recordkeeping. Thus, HIPAA is the law that specifically protects the privacy of individually identifiable health information.