When must covered entities notify the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) about breaches?

When must covered entities notify the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) about breaches?

• A. Only for breaches involving financial loss
• B. For all breaches of unsecured PHI
• C. When a breach causes harm to an individual
• D. Only for breaches affecting more than 500 individuals

Answer: (B)

Covered entities must notify the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) about breaches specifically related to unsecured protected health information (PHI) as outlined in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) rules. The requirement to report breaches is comprehensive and applies to all incidents that involve unsecured PHI, regardless of the size or impact of the breach. This obligation ensures that HHS is aware of any risks to the security of individuals’ health information, allowing for better monitoring and response to potential threats to patient privacy and information security. This rigorous reporting standard underscores the importance of protecting all types of unsecured PHI, and it helps to foster transparency and accountability in managing health data. It is important to note that other options are limited in scope, either restricting the notification requirement to certain conditions or circumstances which do not align with HIPAA's broader mandate.

Covered entities must notify the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) about breaches specifically related to unsecured protected health information (PHI) as outlined in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) rules. The requirement to report breaches is comprehensive and applies to all incidents that involve unsecured PHI, regardless of the size or impact of the breach. This obligation ensures that HHS is aware of any risks to the security of individuals’ health information, allowing for better monitoring and response to potential threats to patient privacy and information security.

This rigorous reporting standard underscores the importance of protecting all types of unsecured PHI, and it helps to foster transparency and accountability in managing health data. It is important to note that other options are limited in scope, either restricting the notification requirement to certain conditions or circumstances which do not align with HIPAA's broader mandate.