What does HIPAA primarily regulate?

The correct answer focuses on the primary purpose of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which is to protect the privacy and security of individuals' health information. HIPAA establishes national standards for the protection of certain health information and governs how healthcare providers, health plans, and associated entities must handle sensitive patient data. This ensures that patients' medical records and other personal health information are kept confidential and secure from unauthorized access or disclosure.

While the other options touch on relevant aspects of healthcare, they do not encapsulate the core focus of HIPAA. For instance, the cost of healthcare services is influenced by various factors, including market forces and government policy, rather than being a product of HIPAA regulations. Access to public health records may be governed by different regulations and laws, often outside the scope of HIPAA's confidentiality provisions. Additionally, while training requirements for healthcare workers are crucial for their roles, this falls under workforce development regulations rather than being directly regulated by HIPAA. Thus, the emphasis on the confidentiality and security of health data directly aligns with the fundamental objectives of HIPAA.