Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) Practice Exam

Which of the following is not considered one of the three covered entities under HIPAA?

1. Health care providers

2. Health plans

3. Patients

4. Clearinghouses

The correct answer is: Patients

Under HIPAA, there are three main types of covered entities: health care providers, health plans, and health care clearinghouses. These entities are directly involved in the processing, handling, or exchanging of protected health information (PHI). Health care providers include doctors, hospitals, and other entities that provide medical services and are involved in billing patient services. Health plans encompass insurance companies and any organization that provides health insurance or coverage. Clearinghouses act as intermediaries that process health information and help with the billing and reimbursement processes. Patients, on the other hand, do not fall under the definition of a covered entity. While they are the individuals whose health information is protected under HIPAA regulations, they do not engage in the handling or processing of PHI in a professional capacity. Therefore, they are not classified as a covered entity. This distinction is critical to understanding who is subject to HIPAA's regulations and who benefits from the protections that HIPAA provides regarding the privacy and security of health information.