Which U.S. law applies to medical information and is not applicable outside the United States?

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is specifically designed to provide safeguards for medical information and health data within the United States. This law establishes standards for protecting sensitive patient information and applies to various entities, including healthcare providers, health plans, and healthcare clearinghouses.

One of the key aspects of HIPAA is its focus on the privacy and security of medical records, ensuring that personal health information (PHI) is protected from unauthorized access and disclosure. The regulatory framework also includes provisions related to the electronic transmission of health information, mandating certain security measures to protect data integrity.

Moreover, HIPAA is exclusive to the United States and does not extend its jurisdiction or protections to entities or information outside its borders. This distinguishes it from international regulations like the GDPR, which applies to organizations in Europe and those outside the EU that handle the personal data of EU citizens, or laws like the APPI and PDPA, which are relevant in their respective regions—Japan and Singapore.

Thus, HIPAA is the correct answer because it is the law specifically focused on medical information within the U.S. and does not apply outside the country, emphasizing its unique jurisdictional boundaries in the realm of healthcare data privacy.