In what situation should a HIPAA violation not be reported?

The correct choice is based on the principle that certain circumstances may exempt a situation from the requirement to report a HIPAA violation. When information is de-identified, it no longer includes any data that can link the information back to an individual. As a result, there is no risk of personal harm or identity theft, which are primary concerns of HIPAA violations. Therefore, a violation involving only de-identified information does not need to be reported, because HIPAA's privacy regulations do not apply to data that cannot be connected to an individual.

In terms of other scenarios, even when there is no hard copy information available, this does not inherently mean that a violation regarding electronic information or privacy hasn’t occurred. The competency of a patient does not negate the obligation to report if personal health information is mishandled. Minor incidents, while they may seem less severe, can still fall under the obligation for reporting depending on the context of the violation. The key factor in whether to report a HIPAA violation hinges on whether the information involved can be linked back to an individual, which is why de-identified information represents an exception to this reporting requirement.