Frustratingly the default guidance from HHS on preventing de-identification of PHI uses the first 3 digits of ZIP codes (ZCTAs actually) in their examples [1].

Frustratingly the default guidance from HHS on preventing de-identification of PHI uses the first 3 digits of ZIP codes (ZCTAs actually) in their examples [1]. We've had fun conversations on publishing analyses that rolled up to other more useful spatial binning because of this. [1] https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/privacy/special-topics/de-identification/#zip https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/privacy/special-...