Which of the following statements about Protected Health Information (PHI) is false?

A. It is created or received by a healthcare provider, health plan, employer, or a business associate of these.

B. It includes information related to the physical or mental health of an individual, regardless of whether the individual is identified.

C. It requires more protection than Personally Identifiable Information (PII).

D. It is a type of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI).

Answer

The false statement about Protected Health Information (PHI) among the options provided is:

D. It is a type of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI).

Explanation:

A. It is created or received by a healthcare provider, health plan, employer, or a business associate of these.

This statement is true because PHI is specifically defined as information that is created or received in the course of healthcare provision, which includes various entities involved in healthcare.

B. It includes information related to the physical or mental health of an individual, regardless of whether the individual is identified.

This statement is true as PHI encompasses any health-related information that pertains to an individual, whether or not the individual is named. However, if the individual can be identified from that information, it definitely falls under PHI.

C. It requires more protection than Personally Identifiable Information (PII).

This statement is true. PHI is subject to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which imposes strict regulations on its use and disclosure, often providing it with a higher level of protection than typical PII.

D. It is a type of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI).

This statement is false. While PHI may share some similarities with CUI in terms of needing protection, they are distinct categories of information governed by different laws and regulations. CUI is a designation used primarily in federal information security contexts, whereas PHI is specifically linked to health information as defined by HIPAA.

Thus, statement D is the false statement regarding PHI.