What was the primary intent of HIPAA?

The primary intent of HIPAA, or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, is indeed to provide rights and protections in group health plans. This legislation was enacted primarily to ensure that individuals retain health insurance coverage when they change or lose their jobs, thereby protecting their health care access and preventing discrimination based on pre-existing conditions.

HIPAA addresses several key areas, including the portability of health coverage between jobs and the security and privacy of health information. By designing the law to focus on the protection of individuals concerning their health plans, it aims to facilitate the continuance of health insurance benefits, which promotes stability and access to care for those undergoing transitions in their employment status.

While there are provisions in HIPAA that indeed establish strict penalties for violations of its regulations regarding the privacy and security of health information, the overarching purpose remains the protection and enhancement of individuals' rights in relation to their healthcare plans. This makes the option highlighting rights and protections in group health plans the most accurate representation of HIPAA's primary intent.