HAS 104A Army Medical Records Management Practice Exam

Protecting patient privacy is essential in medical records management. When someone discloses protected health information improperly, it triggers a criminal penalty under federal privacy laws. The base penalty for a wrongful disclosure is a fine of up to $50,000 and up to one year in prison. This baseline serves as the standard consequence for violations that aren’t part of more serious schemes. Higher penalties apply only in more severe cases—such as disclosures made under false pretenses or with the intent to sell or monetize PHI—where the fines and prison time are greater. Thus, the standard base penalty of up to $50,000 and one year in prison best fits a typical wrongful-disclosure scenario.