What type of information does the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) protect?

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) protects patient health records, which are considered a type of sensitive personal information. HIPAA was enacted to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of protected health information (PHI) that is held by healthcare providers, health plans, and other entities that deal with patient data. This legislation establishes standards for the protection of health information, ensuring that individuals' medical records and other personal health information are kept secure and private. The focus on patient health records underscores the importance of protecting patients' personal health data, which can include anything from medical history and treatment details to billing information related to healthcare services. Consequently, this makes choice B the correct answer in relation to the types of information that HIPAA specifically aims to safeguard.