Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) Practice Exam

Who directs the investigation of fraud and abuse concerning the HIPAA Privacy Rule?

1. Federal Bureau of Investigation

2. Officer for Civil Rights

3. Office of Inspector General

4. Health and Human Services Secretary

The correct answer is: Officer for Civil Rights

The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is responsible for enforcing the HIPAA Privacy Rule, which includes investigating complaints related to violations of patients' privacy rights. While all the entities listed have important roles in health and human services oversight, the OCR specifically focuses on ensuring compliance with the Privacy Rule. The OCR is tasked with handling allegations of privacy breaches, ensuring that covered entities (such as healthcare providers and insurance companies) adhere to the established regulations concerning the confidentiality and security of protected health information (PHI). When a complaint regarding potential violations of the HIPAA Privacy Rule is filed, it is OCR that investigates these issues, assessing whether an entity has not complied with the privacy protections set out by HIPAA. This leads to a more focused understanding of the OCR's role, particularly in relation to the privacy aspects of health information, distinguishing it from other options that may not deal with the specific intricacies of HIPAA privacy violations. For instance, the Office of Inspector General typically deals with broader issues related to healthcare fraud and abuse but does not directly manage HIPAA Privacy Rule investigations. Meanwhile, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has a mandate that includes a wide range of federal investigations but is not specifically focused on