What does HIPAA stand for?

• A. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
• B. Health Information Privacy and Administration Act
• C. Hospitals Insurance and Public Access Act
• D. Health Insurance Plan and Access Act

Answer: (A)

HIPAA stands for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. This U.S. law, enacted in 1996, has two main purposes: to preserve health insurance coverage for individuals who change jobs, and to protect the privacy and security of patients’ health information. The correct expansion uses the exact terms in the statute—Portability and Accountability—so it matches the official title. The other options swap in different words (like Administration, Public Access, or Protection) that aren’t part of the law’s official name, so they don’t fit. Remembering the phrase helps link the idea of insurance portability with patient privacy protections.