Final answer:
It is false that under HIPAA you can give out a patient's age but not their birthdate without a legally permitted purpose; both pieces of information are considered protected health information.
Step-by-step explanation:
The assertion that under HIPAA you can give a patient's age but not their birthdate is false. HIPAA, which is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, stipulates stringent rules to ensure the protection of patient information. Revealing a patient's age or birthdate without their consent may be considered a breach of privacy unless it is for a legally permitted purpose such as treatment, payment, or healthcare operations and when minimum necessary standards are applied. Disclosures should be done with caution to avoid inadvertently revealing personally identifiable information (PII).