Which law established incentives for meaningful use of electronic health records and expanded privacy protections?

• A. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA)
• B. The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH)
• C. The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
• D. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

Answer: (B)

The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act sets up incentives for meaningful use of electronic health records and expands privacy protections. Passed in 2009 as part of the Recovery Act, it created the Meaningful Use program to reward providers who adopt certified EHRs and use them in ways that improve care, safety, and efficiency. At the same time, HITECH strengthened HIPAA protections by increasing penalties for violations, expanding breach notification requirements, and broadening safeguards around health information handled by business associates. This combination—financial incentives tied to actual use of EHRs and stronger privacy rules—defines what HITECH does.

The other laws differ in scope: the ACA is broader health reform legislation, not specifically the incentive program and privacy expansion tied to EHRs; HIPAA established initial privacy protections, but HITECH expanded and reinforced them; ERISA governs employee benefit plans rather than health IT policy.