What type of health information is protected under HIPAA privacy and
security rules?

The type of health information that is protected by the HIPAA Privacy Act and  safety rules is individually identifiable health information, that is, information that links health status to a specific person.

Explanation:

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act or HIPAA is relates to any health information linked to a patient's personal data. HIPAA is a law that requires any health care provider or health insurance company to keep the health information of properly identified individuals secure.

A patient's clinical data and records are called Protected Health Information or PHI. PHI refers to all physical, electronic, or verbally transmitted data collected by health care providers that must be kept private except by licensed health care personnel for review. This means that PHI cannot be made public or shared in any way.

The main purpose of HIPAA is to keep patient health information confidential.