Question

What is PHI?

1) Provider healthcare interchange
2) Private health insurance
3) Provider healthcare incident-to
4) Protected health information

Answer 1

PHI refers to Protected Health Information, which is sensitive patient data protected under HIPAA, ensuring confidentiality and preventing misuse of personal health information.

Step-by-step explanation:

PHI stands for Protected Health Information. This term is defined under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996, which sets the standards for the protection of sensitive patient data. PHI refers to any information about health status, provision of health care, or payment for health care that can be linked to an individual. This information must be handled with strict confidentiality by businesses such as insurance companies and healthcare providers. HIPAA helps prevent the misuse of personal health information, including genetic information, which is also protected under the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) of 2008.