What is the primary responsibility of the Office for Civil Rights?

The primary responsibility of the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is to enforce the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules. This involves ensuring that health information is protected and that individuals' rights under HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) are upheld. The OCR investigates complaints regarding breaches of privacy, conducts compliance reviews, and may impose penalties for violations of HIPAA regulations. By doing so, the OCR plays a vital role in safeguarding personal health information and promoting patient privacy in the healthcare system.

The other options are activities that OCR is not primarily responsible for. For example, conducting patient satisfaction surveys and overseeing health provider licensing fall under different organizations and sectors in healthcare. Providing legal advice to covered entities may occur in some contexts, but it is not the main role of OCR; instead, legal advice typically comes from legal counsel within an organization. Thus, enforcing the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules is the most accurate representation of OCR’s primary responsibilities.