No, health data from most period-tracking apps is not protected under HIPAA

Donald Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States on Wednesday, Nov. 6.

That same day, a viral post on X warned that some of the personal data shared on apps that track menstrual cycles and pregnancy could potentially be used against people seeking an abortion in the United States.

“IMMEDIATELY STOP USING PERIOD AND PREGNANCY TRACKERS IN THE US. DONT PUT IN ANOTHER PIECE OF DATA. DELETE IT,” said an X post with over 10 million views.

Similar warnings circulated online when Roe v. Wade, a decades-old decision that federally protected abortion access in the U.S., was overturned by the Supreme Court on June 24, 2022.

Recent online search trends show that some people are wondering if private health data from period-tracking apps is covered under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, a federal law widely known as HIPAA.
THE QUESTION
Is health data from period-tracking apps protected under HIPAA?

Read more: https://www.verifythis.com/article/ne...

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