Which HIPAA provision ensures individuals retain health coverage when changing or losing jobs?

• A. Privacy Rule
• B. Health Care Access, Portability, and Renewability
• C. Security Rule
• D. Breach Notification Rule

Answer: (B)

Portability and renewability of health coverage is the HIPAA provision designed to keep you insured when you change or lose a job. It helps ensure a continuous coverage by allowing you to move from one group health plan to another without a lapse in coverage, and it limits how preexisting condition exclusions can apply if you have prior creditable coverage. In practice, this means you won’t be left uninsured or unfairly penalized for health conditions simply because you changed employment.

The other HIPAA rules focus on protecting health information (Privacy Rule), safeguarding electronic PHI (Security Rule), and requiring notification of breaches (Breach Notification Rule). None of those provisions specifically guarantee ongoing health coverage during job changes, which is why the portability and renewability provision is the correct choice.