Which of the following is NOT considered PHI under HIPAA?

Protected Health Information (PHI) under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) refers to any data that can be used to identify an individual and is related to their health condition, provision of healthcare, or payment for healthcare services. For information to qualify as PHI, it must directly pertain to health information or the individual's healthcare and must include identifiers that could link that information back to the individual.

Medical history, social security numbers, and health treatment information all fall squarely within the definition of PHI because they either directly relate to an individual's health or can be used to identify an individual in connection with healthcare-related activities. Medical history contains specific health-related information, social security numbers are unique identifiers that can be traced back to an individual, and health treatment information includes records of the care received.

In contrast, while employment status may be important for various purposes, it does not inherently contain health-related information or identifiers linking it to an individual's health conditions or healthcare. Therefore, it does not meet the criteria established by HIPAA to be considered PHI. This distinction is critical for understanding what constitutes sensitive information under the law and managing it appropriately within healthcare settings.