What constitutes a designated record set?

A designated record set, as defined under the HIPAA Privacy Rule, includes specific types of records that are maintained by or for a covered entity. In this context, the correct choice encompasses not only health information but also billing and claims records that are utilized to make decisions regarding an individual’s care or payment for care. The focus here is on records that are relevant to the patient’s treatment and the financial aspects surrounding that treatment, which aligns closely with the purpose of the designated record set.

This definition ensures that individuals have the right to access and request amendments to that information, highlighting the importance of transparency and patient engagement in their own health care. The designated record set provides a structured way to manage and safeguard sensitive health information while ensuring patients have rights to access.

Other options do not encapsulate this definition fully. For instance, merely stating all patient records or only billing records misses the critical component of decision-making relevance to the individual. Additionally, the concept of any records maintained by a covered entity is too broad, as not all records maintained would fall under the criteria of being utilized in decisions affecting individual care or payment.