Which of the following entities is NOT affected by The HiTech Act?

The HiTech Act, officially known as the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, primarily aims to enhance the adoption of electronic health records (EHR) and improve the privacy and security of patient information within the healthcare sector.

Healthcare providers using electronic health records, health insurance companies, and business associates of covered entities are all directly impacted by the provisions set forth by the HiTech Act. Healthcare providers are incentivized to adopt EHR technologies, and health insurance companies are involved in ensuring the compliance and security measures that come with electronic health information. Business associates, who are entities that handle protected health information on behalf of covered entities, also face increased regulatory requirements under the act to safeguard this information.

On the other hand, pharmaceutical manufacturers are generally not directly governed by the provisions of the HiTech Act. Their business operations focus on drug development and distribution rather than the implementation or management of electronic health records or the direct handling of patient information within a healthcare setting, making them less affected by the specific regulations related to EHR adoption and patient information security emphasized by the HiTech Act.