Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) Practice Exam

Is a signed receipt of the Notice of Privacy Practices required by the Privacy Rule for a patient to receive services?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Only for specific services

4. Depends on the healthcare provider

The correct answer is: No

The Privacy Rule under HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) does not require a signed receipt of the Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP) for a patient to receive services. The purpose of the Notice of Privacy Practices is to inform patients about how their protected health information (PHI) will be used and disclosed, as well as their rights regarding their PHI. While healthcare providers are required to provide this notice to patients, patients are not mandated to sign it before receiving care. The provider must make a good faith effort to obtain a written acknowledgment that they provided the notice, but if a patient refuses to sign, they still must be provided with the services. This ensures that access to care is not impeded by a requirement to sign paperwork, thus promoting better health outcomes and patient rights. Other choices suggest situations where a signed receipt may be necessary or conditions where it depends on specifics, but the overarching principle in HIPAA is that patients should not be turned away from receiving care due to documentation issues relating to the Notice of Privacy Practices.