What does HIPAA primarily regulate?

HIPAA, or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, primarily focuses on the privacy and security of health information. This regulation was established to safeguard individuals' medical records and other personal health information, ensuring that such sensitive data is protected from unauthorized access and breaches.

The act sets national standards for the protection of health information, mandating that healthcare providers, health plans, and business associates implement safeguards to maintain the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of electronic health data. This includes regulations on how health information can be shared, the rights of individuals regarding their health information, and the obligations of organizations to secure that information.

Regarding the other options, emergency medical services are just one aspect of healthcare and are not the sole focus of HIPAA. Healthcare employee wages and salaries fall under labor laws and are not addressed by HIPAA. Similarly, patient satisfaction metrics, while important for healthcare quality, are not governed by HIPAA regulations, which focus specifically on the handling and protection of health information. Therefore, the essence of HIPAA is captured in its commitment to health information privacy and security.