Who qualifies as a covered entity under HIPAA?

Covered entities under HIPAA include health plans, healthcare providers who transmit any health information in electronic form, and healthcare clearinghouses. The correct answer encompasses both health plans and providers who utilize electronic means to share health information, which is crucial for ensuring the privacy and security of individuals' health data.

Health plans include insurance companies, Medicaid, and Medicare programs. Healthcare providers covered by HIPAA include physicians, psychologists, and other healthcare practitioners who send electronic health information in transactions such as billing or insurance claims. This broad definition is essential because it establishes a framework for protecting health information across various sectors involved in healthcare delivery and management.

Looking at the other options, hospitals and clinics are indeed covered entities, but they represent only a part of the category described in the correct answer, which makes it incomplete. Pharmaceutical companies and researchers may not fall under the definition of covered entities unless they are involved in providing healthcare or health plans as part of their business operations. Similarly, while government health agencies may handle health information, they aren't exclusively defined as covered entities under HIPAA unless they fit into the specified categories.