Patient Care Technician (PCT) AAH Practice Exam

Which law regulates the use and disclosure of patients' protected health information?

1. HIPAA Privacy Rule

2. FERPA

3. PHRMA

4. ADA

The correct answer is: HIPAA Privacy Rule

The law that regulates the use and disclosure of patients' protected health information is the HIPAA Privacy Rule. This rule is part of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which was enacted in 1996 to safeguard the privacy and security of individuals' medical records and other personal health information. The HIPAA Privacy Rule establishes national standards that govern how healthcare providers, insurance companies, and other entities that handle health information must protect patient data. It stipulates that patients have specific rights regarding their health information, such as the right to access their medical records and request corrections to them. The rule also outlines circumstances under which personal health information can be shared, ensuring that disclosures are limited to what is necessary for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations unless the patient consents to a broader disclosure. In contrast, the other options mentioned do not pertain to the regulation of health information privacy. FERPA relates to the privacy of student education records; PHRMA (Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America) focuses on the pharmaceutical industry's accountability rather than patient privacy; and the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) addresses the rights of individuals with disabilities but does not specifically regulate health information. Therefore, the correct response emphasizing the regulation of protected health