Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) Practice Exam

To what type of data does the HIPAA Security Rule apply?

1. Only paper documents

2. Any computer storage media

3. Verbal communications

4. Only data stored in cloud services

The correct answer is: Any computer storage media

The HIPAA Security Rule is specifically designed to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of electronic protected health information (ePHI). This encompasses any data that is created, stored, transmitted, or received in electronic form. Thus, the Security Rule extends its coverage to a wide range of electronic storage media, including computers, servers, hard drives, USB drives, and any other digital means. By focusing on electronic forms of health information, the Security Rule ensures that all organizations handling ePHI implement appropriate safeguards to protect this sensitive data from various risks, such as unauthorized access or breaches. This contrasts with the other options, which either limit the scope of the rule (e.g., only considering paper documents, verbal communications, or specific storage types like cloud services) or do not align with the primary focus on electronic data management and protection mandated by HIPAA.