Who qualifies as covered entities under HIPAA?

The classification of covered entities under HIPAA includes health care providers, health plans, and health care clearinghouses because these entities handle protected health information (PHI) and are thus subject to the regulations set forth by HIPAA.

Health care providers are those who provide medical or health services, while health plans include insurance companies that provide health coverage. Health care clearinghouses are third parties that process health information received from other entities. This definition reflects the broad scope of who is included in the regulation to ensure effective management and protection of private health information across various sectors in the healthcare system.

The other options do not encompass the full range of entities that HIPAA considers covered. For example, limiting covered entities to only health insurers, hospitals, or clinics does not capture all the participants in the health care information ecosystem who are responsible for managing PHI. Additionally, categorizing all healthcare workers as covered entities is inaccurate, as it is specifically entities that engage in transmitting health information electronically that fall under this definition, rather than individuals who work within those settings.