Which type of health information does HIPAA provide with "extra" protections?

HIPAA provides "extra" protections for psychotherapy notes because these notes are considered particularly sensitive health information. They contain the therapist’s personal insights, observations, and interpretations regarding a patient's mental health and treatment. Unlike other types of health information, psychotherapy notes are not included in the general medical record and require stricter confidentiality measures.

This heightened level of protection is in recognition of the vulnerability associated with mental health treatment and the stigma that still surrounds mental health issues. As such, the disclosure of psychotherapy notes without the patient's explicit consent is generally prohibited, underscoring the importance of holding this type of information to a higher standard of privacy and security under HIPAA regulations.

In contrast, while other health information such as medical histories, lab results, and radiology reports are also protected under HIPAA, they do not receive the same level of extra protection afforded to psychotherapy notes.