COPE Health Scholars Practice Test

What does HIPAA stand for?

1. Health Insurance Processing and Accessibility Act

2. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act

3. Health Information Privacy and Accountability Act

4. Health Insurance Provision and Assurance Act

The correct answer is: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act

HIPAA stands for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. This landmark legislation, enacted in 1996, established national standards to protect sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without the patient's consent or knowledge. One of its primary objectives is to ensure that individuals can maintain health insurance coverage as they move between jobs, facilitating the portability aspect. Furthermore, HIPAA introduced rules for ensuring the confidentiality and security of healthcare information, thus ensuring accountability within healthcare systems regarding the handling of personal health information. This dual focus on portability (the ease of keeping health insurance) and accountability (the responsibility to protect patient data) is fundamental to HIPAA's role within the healthcare industry, making it crucial for healthcare organizations and professionals to adhere to its regulations to safeguard patient information and privacy.