Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) Practice Exam

Match the category of the HIPAA Security standards with their examples: Technical safeguards.

1. Password protection, encryption

2. Staff training on privacy

3. Insurance contracts

4. Physical security measures

The correct answer is: Password protection, encryption

The selection of password protection and encryption as an example of technical safeguards aligns perfectly with the HIPAA Security Rule's definition. Technical safeguards are specifically implemented to protect electronic protected health information (ePHI) through methods that involve technology. Password protection helps ensure that only authorized individuals can access systems containing sensitive health information, thus maintaining confidentiality and integrity. Similarly, encryption secures ePHI by converting it into a format that is unreadable without the appropriate decryption key, further protecting it from unauthorized access during storage and transmission. The other options listed do not pertain to technical safeguards. For instance, staff training on privacy focuses on administrative safeguards, which involve policies and procedures that manage privacy risks and ensure workforce compliance. Insurance contracts relate to business operations and risk management rather than security safeguards. Lastly, physical security measures pertain to physical safeguards, which protect the physical facilities and equipment containing ePHI, not the technological protections directly applied to electronic data.