Which of the following items BEST describes the standards addressed
by Title II, Administrative Simplification, of the Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act (US Kennedy-Kassebaum Health
Insurance and Portability Accountability Act -HIPAA-Public Law 104-19)?

A.
Transaction Standards, to include Code Sets; Security and Electronic
Signatures and Privacy

B.
Security and Electronic Signatures and Privacy

C.
Transaction Standards, to include Code Sets; Unique Health
Identifiers; Security and Electronic Signatures and Privacy

D.
Unique Health Identifiers; Security and Electronic Signatures and
Privacy

Explanation:
HIPAA was designed to provide for greater access to personal
health care information, enable portability of health care insurance,
establish strong penalties for health care fraud, and streamline the
health care claims process through administrative simplification. To
accomplish the latter, Title II of the HIPAA law, Administrative Simplification,
requires standardizing the formats for the electronic
transmission of health care information. The transactions and code sets
portion includes standards for submitting claims, enrollment information,
premium payments, and others as adopted by HHS. The

standard for transactions is the ANSI ASC X12N version 4010 EDI
Standard. Standard code sets are required for diagnoses and inpatient
services, professional services, dental services (replaces D’
codes), and drugs (instead of J’ codes). Also, local codes are not to be
used. Unique health identifiers are required to identify health care
providers, health plans, employers, and individuals. Security and electronic
signatures are specified to protect health care information. Privacy protections are required to ensure that there is no unauthorized
disclosure of individually identifiable health care information.
The other answers are incorrect since they do not include all four
major standards. Additional information can be found at http://
aspe.hhs.gov/adminsimp.