Under HIPAA, what is the accurate statement about patient access to PHI?

• A. Patients have no right to access their PHI.
• B. Patients may access PHI only if the provider approves the request.
• C. Patients have the right to access and request corrections to their health information.
• D. Patients can access PHI but cannot request amendments.

Answer: (C)

Under HIPAA, individuals have broad rights to their PHI. The point is that patients can both access their health information and request changes if something is inaccurate or incomplete. This means you can inspect or obtain copies of your PHI in designated record sets, including electronic formats, and you can ask for amendments to correct errors. The system requires a timely response and provides a process if a request is denied, along with a way to add a statement of disagreement to the record. The idea that access requires provider approval, or that patients can access but cannot request amendments, isn’t accurate. The best answer reflects the combined rights to access and to request corrections to health information.