Which practice reduces exposure of PHI when transmitting electronic claims?

• A. Use secure channels, ensure minimum PHI exposure, and perform security audits.
• B. Share entire PHI with any partner.
• C. Use public networks for speed.
• D. Print and mail claims to payer.

Answer: (A)

Protecting PHI during electronic claims transmission hinges on three safeguards: using secure channels, minimizing PHI exposure, and conducting regular security audits. Secure channels protect data in transit through encryption and secure transfer protocols, guarding against eavesdropping, tampering, and interception. Limiting PHI exposure means sharing only the minimum necessary information for claim processing, and applying data minimization and de-identification where possible to reduce what could be exposed if a breach occurs. Regular security audits involve ongoing risk assessments, monitoring, and remediation to verify that controls work and to identify and fix vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.

Other practices would raise risk: sharing entire PHI with any partner goes against the minimum necessary principle and increases exposure; using public networks for transmission can expose data to interception; and printing and mailing claims introduces physical security risks and delays, making it less secure than encrypted electronic transmission.