Which rule provides federal protections for personal health information held by covered entities?

The HIPAA Privacy Rule is the correct choice because it establishes national standards for the protection of individuals' medical records and personal health information. This rule applies to covered entities, which include health care providers, health plans, and health care clearinghouses that transmit any health information in electronic form. The primary purpose of the HIPAA Privacy Rule is to ensure the confidentiality and security of protected health information (PHI), granting patients rights over their own health information while also imposing restrictions on how their data can be used and shared.

The rule outlines the circumstances under which health information can be disclosed and emphasizes the need for consent, as well as the necessity for health care organizations to implement various safeguards to protect patient data from unauthorized access and breaches. This framework is essential for maintaining trust between patients and healthcare providers due to the sensitive nature of the information involved.

In contrast, other options like FERPA govern the protection of student education records, GIPA relates to the confidentiality of governmental information (not health-related), and SOX pertains to financial practices in public companies, thus making them unrelated to the protection of personal health information under HIPAA.