A nurse is reviewing information about the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) with a newly licensed nurse. Which of the following statements by the newly licensed nurse indicates a need for further teaching?

A. Information about a client can be disclosed to family members at any time: HIPAA restricts disclosure of health information without the client’s consent or unless the disclosure meets specific legal criteria. Information can only be shared with family members if the client provides authorization or if it is deemed necessary for care and the client does not object. B. HIPAA established regulations of individually identifiable health information in verbal, electronic or written form: HIPAA’s purpose includes protecting all forms of individually identifiable health information—spoken, written, or electronic. HIPAA ensures confidentiality and sets national standards for data security and patient privacy. C. A client's address would be an example of personally identifiable information: Under HIPAA, a client’s address is considered part of their protected health information (PHI) because it can be used to identify the individual. Such data must be safeguarded to prevent unauthorized disclosure or access. D. HIPAA is a federal law, not a state law: HIPAA is a federal law passed in 1996, and it sets nationwide standards for protecting health information. While states may enact stricter privacy laws, HIPAA forms the foundational legal framework for patient confidentiality across the U.S.