What triggers the requirement for the DHHS Secretary to be informed about breaches?

The requirement for the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Secretary to be informed about breaches is specifically triggered by breaches that affect a certain number of patients. Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations, if a breach involves the protected health information (PHI) of 500 or more individuals, it must be reported to the DHHS Secretary. This reporting is part of the broader commitment to ensure transparency and accountability in handling health information. It's important to note that smaller breaches do not trigger this notification requirement, even though they might still need to be reported to affected individuals.

In this context, breaches involving financial data, breaches greater than a certain number of days, or all breaches regardless of severity do not align with the specific criteria set forth by HIPAA for reporting to the DHHS Secretary. The focus is on the scale of the breach in terms of patient impact, which is why the correct choice relates to breaches affecting a specific number of patients.