Which of the following best describes the purpose of HIPAA?

The purpose of HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) is fundamentally to protect patient privacy and secure health data. This legislation was enacted to establish national standards for how personal health information should be handled, ensuring that patient data remains confidential and is only accessible to authorized individuals. HIPAA sets forth rules that require healthcare providers, health plans, and healthcare clearinghouses to implement safeguards against data breaches and ensure the integrity and security of sensitive health information.

While enhancing treatment methodologies and streamlining healthcare administration may be goals within the broader framework of healthcare improvement, they do not capture the primary purpose of HIPAA. Similarly, regulation of health insurance premiums is not a focus of HIPAA; this aspect is addressed by other healthcare laws and reforms. Thus, HIPAA's core mission of protecting patient privacy and securing health data stands out as the definitive answer.