Protected Health Information (PHI) includes data that can identify a person and relates to what aspects?

• A. Personal identifiers only
• B. Protected Health Information (PHI) including health, care, and payment data
• C. Public Health Information
• D. Financial Records

Answer: (B)

PHI consists of information that can identify an individual and relates to that person’s health status, the care they receive, or the payment for that care. This means PHI isn’t just about names or IDs; it includes medical diagnoses, treatment details, test results, and billing or insurance information tied to the person. That broader scope is why the best description is health, care, and payment data connected to an identifiable individual.

Identifying data alone doesn’t capture PHI because the health or payment context matters. Public health information isn’t PHI when it’s intended to be shared publicly or is de-identified. Financial records by themselves aren’t PHI unless they are tied to health care.