What is the primary purpose of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)?

The primary purpose of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is to protect patients' medical records and other personal health information. Enacted in 1996, HIPAA was designed to ensure the privacy and security of individuals' health information as it is shared between healthcare providers, insurers, and other entities. The privacy rule within HIPAA mandates that healthcare organizations implement safeguards to protect sensitive data and gives patients rights over their own health information, such as the right to access their records and request corrections.

While the act does include provisions that can influence healthcare standards and procedures, its core focus is on maintaining the privacy and confidentiality of health information. This ensures that patients can trust that their sensitive information remains secure and is only shared when necessary and appropriate.

The other options speak to aspects related to healthcare and insurance, but they do not encapsulate the primary objective of HIPAA. For instance, regulating insurance provider pricing touches on financial aspects rather than privacy. Determining eligibility for health insurance relates to access but not the protection of personal health information. Establishing national healthcare standards is a broader goal and does not specifically address the privacy of medical records which is at the heart of HIPAA.