What must medical personnel comply with regarding the access and release of medical information?

The correct answer is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This act is crucial for medical personnel as it sets the standard for protecting sensitive patient information. HIPAA governs how protected health information (PHI) can be accessed and shared, ensuring that patient privacy is maintained while allowing necessary access for healthcare purposes.

Regulations under HIPAA require that healthcare providers, insurers, and other entities that deal with patient information implement safeguards to protect this data. These safeguards include administrative, physical, and technical measures to prevent unauthorized access to medical records.

While the Privacy Act and the Freedom of Information Act also deal with aspects of privacy and public access to information, they are not specifically tailored to medical information like HIPAA. The Drug Abuse Offense and Treatment Act applies to substance abuse treatment records but is not comprehensive for all medical information, which further emphasizes that HIPAA is the primary regulation relevant to the access and release of medical records. Understanding HIPAA is essential for medical personnel to ensure compliance and protect patient rights in healthcare settings.