HIPAA – HEALTH INSURANCE PORTABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT | REAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS LATEST 2026/2027 (PASS GUARANTEE)

HIPAA – HEALTH INSURANCE PORTABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
ACT | REAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS LATEST
2026/2027 (PASS GUARANTEE)




HIPAA - HEALTH INSURANCE PORTABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT


What does HIPAA stand for? Health Insurance Portability and Accountability
Act.
When was HIPAA enacted? August 21, 1996.
Which federal agency enforces HIPAA? The Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS), specifically the Office for Civil Rights (OCR).
What was the primary original goal of HIPAA? To ensure health insurance
continuity for workers changing or losing jobs.
What are the two main "Rules" of HIPAA regarding patient data? The Privacy
Rule and the Security Rule.
What is the third major rule regarding data breaches? The Breach Notification
Rule.
Does HIPAA apply to all businesses? No, it only applies to Covered Entities and
Business Associates.
Does HIPAA supersede state laws? Generally, federal law preempts state law,
unless the state law is stricter (offering more privacy protection).
What is the "HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices"? A document that explains
how a patient's health information may be used and disclosed.
Who must receive the Notice of Privacy Practices? All new patients, and it must
be made available to existing patients upon request.
Is HIPAA a worker’s compensation law? No.

,Does HIPAA protect physical medical records? Yes, it protects Protected Health
Information (PHI) in all forms—paper, electronic, and oral.
What is the HIPAA Transaction and Code Sets Rule? It standardizes the
electronic formats and codes used for healthcare claims and transactions.
What is the Unique Identifiers Rule? It requires the use of standard identifiers
for employers, healthcare providers, and health plans.
What is the NPI? National Provider Identifier, a unique 10-digit number
assigned to healthcare providers.
What is the EIN under HIPAA? Employer Identification Number, used in
standard healthcare transactions.
Can a patient waive their HIPAA rights? Yes, but only in writing, and the waiver
must be specific.
Does HIPAA apply to schools? Generally no, student records are covered by
FERPA, not HIPAA.
Does HIPAA apply to law enforcement? Law enforcement is not a covered
entity, but they can request PHI under specific exceptions.
Is HIPAA the only US privacy law? No, others include FERPA, GLBA, and state-
specific laws like CCPA.
What is the "Portability" part of HIPAA? It limits the exclusion of pre-existing
conditions when a person changes health plans.
What is COBRA related to HIPAA? COBRA allows individuals to continue their
employer-sponsored health insurance after leaving a job; HIPAA limits pre-
existing condition exclusions on these plans.
Are life insurance companies covered by HIPAA? No, they are not considered
Covered Entities.
Are workers' compensation carriers covered by HIPAA? No.
Does HIPAA require electronic transmission of data? No, but if data is
transmitted electronically, it must follow HIPAA standards.
What is the Enforcement Rule? It outlines HHS's procedures for investigating
complaints and imposing penalties for HIPAA violations.
When did the Privacy Rule become effective? April 14, 2003.

, When did the Security Rule become effective? April 21, 2003 (with a one-year
compliance delay for most).
When did the Breach Notification Rule become effective? September 23, 2009.
What legislation updated HIPAA in 2009? The Health Information Technology
for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act.
Category 2: Protected Health Information (PHI) (31-60)
What does PHI stand for? Protected Health Information.
What is the definition of PHI? Individually identifiable health information
created, received, maintained, or transmitted by a Covered Entity.
What are the 18 HIPAA identifiers? Specific data elements that, alone or in
combination, can identify an individual.
Is a patient's name considered an identifier? Yes.
Is a geographic location smaller than a state an identifier? Yes (e.g., zip code,
street address).
Are dates an identifier? Yes, all dates directly related to an individual (except
year) including birth date, admission date, discharge date, and date of death.
Are phone numbers an identifier? Yes.
Are fax numbers an identifier? Yes.
Are email addresses an identifier? Yes.
Is a Social Security Number (SSN) an identifier? Yes.
Is a Medical Record Number (MRN) an identifier? Yes.
Is a health plan beneficiary number an identifier? Yes.
Are account numbers an identifier? Yes.
Are certificate/license numbers an identifier? Yes.
Are vehicle identifiers and serial numbers an identifier? Yes.
Are device identifiers and serial numbers an identifier? Yes.
Are web URLs an identifier? Yes.
Are IP addresses an identifier? Yes.