Certified Coding Associate (CCA) Practice Exam

The correct answer highlights that the use of Mary's individually identifiable information related to her asthma treatments requires authorization for research purposes according to the HIPAA Privacy Rule. Under HIPAA, individually identifiable health information is protected and cannot be used or disclosed without the individual's consent, unless certain exceptions apply. This includes any health information that can be traced back to a specific individual, such as data that identifies Mary as having received treatment for asthma.

In this context, the other options do not require authorization for different reasons:

- The use of deidentified information, such as that regarding Mary’s myocardial infarction, does not require authorization because it has been stripped of all identifiers that could connect it back to the individual. Deidentification allows for the use of health information without compromising patient privacy.

- A limited data set involves some identifiers but is permissible without individual authorization for certain activities, provided that the recipient signs a data use agreement. In this case, using limited data associated with Mary's asthma does not necessitate additional authorization.

- When it comes to medical information about Jim, Mary's deceased husband, HIPAA privacy protections apply to the medical records of individuals who are deceased for only a limited time. Generally, once an individual has been deceased for more than 50 years, their information