What is an "allowed disclosure" under HIPAA?

An "allowed disclosure" under HIPAA refers to circumstances in which protected health information (PHI) can be shared without the patient's consent due to specific regulations outlined in the law. This includes situations such as compliance with legal obligations, public health activities, or when necessary for law enforcement purposes. HIPAA recognizes that there are legitimate instances where sharing this information is crucial for the health and safety of the public or for legal compliance, hence these disclosures are allowed without needing patient consent.

The other options do not align with the principles set forth by HIPAA. For instance, sharing PHI with the media or for financial gain would violate patient confidentiality and trust, and sharing for educational purposes typically requires patient consent unless it falls under specific exemptions that do not pertain to general educational use.