Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) Practice Exam

The Omnibus Rule does NOT nullify which of the following?

1. Previous HITECH regulations

2. HIPAA's original mandates

3. State privacy laws

4. None of the above

The correct answer is: HIPAA's original mandates

The Omnibus Rule, which was implemented in 2013, made significant changes to the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules. However, it did not nullify HIPAA's original mandates. Instead, the Omnibus Rule expanded and clarified those existing mandates to enhance patient privacy protections and broaden the scope of entities considered covered by HIPAA. This includes stricter requirements for business associates and increased penalties for non-compliance. The original provisions of HIPAA established fundamental rights for patients regarding their health information, and these rights remain firmly in place. Therefore, selecting the choice related to HIPAA's original mandates as the correct answer reflects an understanding that while the Omnibus Rule made changes and updates, it did not discard the foundational elements of the law that were established prior to its implementation. On the other hand, the previous HITECH regulations and state privacy laws were affected in various ways by the Omnibus Rule. For instance, state laws can provide greater protections than federal laws, and the Omnibus Rule emphasizes the need to adhere to state requirements as well. Thus, the role of state privacy laws is distinct from the original mandates of HIPAA, making the selection of the original mandates as the answer appropriate in this context.