A patient's insurance company calls the office to obtain additional information regarding a recently submitted claim. Which of the following regulations allows the office to release this information without written authorization?

The HIPAA Privacy Rule establishes the framework for the protection of patient health information while allowing for the necessary flow of information for healthcare operations. Under this rule, healthcare providers can share information with health insurers for the purpose of payment and healthcare operations without requiring written authorization from the patient. This includes situations where additional information is needed to resolve a claim.

In this context, the patient's insurance company is reaching out to gather more information regarding a submitted claim, which falls under the permission granted by the HIPAA Privacy Rule. This regulation is designed to facilitate necessary exchanges of information while ensuring the privacy of patients is maintained.

The other options do not directly address the circumstances under which patient information can be shared for the purpose of claim processing. The Affordable Care Act primarily focuses on health insurance reforms. The Fraud and Abuse Statute deals with the legality of billing and benefits rather than information sharing without authorization. The Patient Protection Act, while related to healthcare access and affordability, does not specifically address the nuances of patient information disclosure mandated by HIPAA.