What legislation protects the privacy of patient information?

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is the legislation specifically designed to protect the privacy and security of patient information. HIPAA establishes national standards for the protection of health information, ensuring that sensitive patient data is properly handled and kept confidential. This law applies to healthcare providers, health plans, and other entities that handle personal health information, requiring them to implement safeguards to protect patient data and granting patients rights over their information, such as the ability to access and request corrections to their health records.

In contrast, while the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) focuses on preventing discrimination against individuals with disabilities, it does not specifically address patient privacy. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) governs the privacy of student education records rather than healthcare information. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) primarily focuses on expanding healthcare access and improvement but does not specifically legislate privacy protections for patient information. Thus, HIPAA is the correct answer when it comes to legislation focused on the privacy of patient information.