AHIMA Compliance and Legal 2

Question 1

Under HIPAA, which of the following is considered a permissible disclosure without patient authorization?

Accepted Answer

Disclosing PHI to public health authorities for disease surveillance

Answer

HIPAA permits disclosure of PHI to public health authorities for activities such as disease surveillance, investigation, and intervention without patient authorization.

Question 2

A covered entity experiences a breach affecting 600 individuals. Under HIPAA Breach Notification Rule, notification to the Secretary of HHS must occur within:

Accepted Answer

60 days of discovery

Answer

For breaches affecting fewer than 500 individuals, covered entities must notify HHS within 60 days of the end of the calendar year in which the breach was discovered, but breaches over 500 require notification within 60 days of discovery.

Question 3

Which legal doctrine holds that a patient's medical record created during treatment is the property of the healthcare facility?

Accepted Answer

Custodial ownership doctrine

Answer

The custodial ownership doctrine establishes that while the physical medical record belongs to the healthcare facility, the patient retains the right to access the information contained within it.

Question 4

The HITECH Act strengthened HIPAA enforcement by introducing which of the following changes?

Accepted Answer

Applying HIPAA obligations directly to business associates

Answer

HITECH extended direct HIPAA liability to business associates, requiring them to comply with applicable HIPAA Security Rule safeguards independently of their covered entity contracts.

Question 5

A hospital's compliance officer discovers that a coder has been upcoding DRGs for six months. Under the False Claims Act, which penalty could the hospital face per false claim?

Accepted Answer

$13,946–$27,894 (adjusted annually)

Answer

The False Claims Act imposes civil penalties per false claim; as of recent adjustments these range approximately $13,946 to $27,894 per claim plus treble damages.

(AHIMA) American Health Information Management Association Practice Test

(AHIMA) American Health Information Management Association Practice Test

AHIMA Compliance and Legal 2