Which type of information does HIPAA protect?

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) specifically protects Protected Health Information (PHI). This includes any information that can individually identify a patient and relates to their health status, provision of health care, or payment for health care services. HIPAA establishes national standards for the protection of this sensitive data to ensure confidentiality and safeguard individuals' medical records.

Protected Health Information encompasses a wide range of data, including medical histories, test results, health insurance information, and any other data that relates to an individual's health. The intent of HIPAA is to ensure that individuals' health information is secure and only shared with authorized parties.

In contrast, the other types of information mentioned—personal financial information, employment history, and criminal background checks—are not covered under HIPAA, as they do not specifically pertain to health information. Each of these areas has its own regulatory frameworks and protections, but they fall outside the purview of HIPAA, which is solely focused on health-related data privacy.