Final answer:
HIPAA prohibits health plans from discriminating based on medical or genetic information. It prevents unauthorized release of health information and works alongside GINA to offer protection against genetic discrimination.
Step-by-step explanation:
HIPAA prohibits group health plans from using past or current medical conditions, including genetic information, as a basis for denying or limiting an individual's coverage. The correct answer is b) Prohibits.
HIPAA, enacted in 1996, and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) of 2008 play critical roles in protecting individuals from discrimination based on their health data. This preventive action is crucial in a society where the possibilities of genomic data could lead to potential misuse by health insurers and employers. HIPAA guards against involuntary dissemination of individually identifiable health information, while GINA further protects against discriminatory practices in health insurance and employment decisions based on genetic information.