Health Information Management

HHS releases guidance on HIPAA and same-sex marriage

HIM-HIPAA Insider, September 29, 2014

Want to receive articles like this one in your inbox? Subscribe to HIM-HIPAA Insider!

HHS recently released guidance about HIPAA regulations affected by the Supreme Court’s 2013 United States v. Windsor ruling that found Section 3 of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional. Section 3 of DOMA states that federal law would only recognize opposite-sex marriage.

 
The HIPAA Privacy Rule includes information about the role of family members in patient care. Section 45 CFR 160.10 of the rule includes the terms “spouse” and “marriage” under the definition of family member.
To maintain consistency with the United States v. Windsor ruling, the term spouse includes people in a legally valid same-sex marriage sanctioned by a state, territory, or foreign jurisdiction. However, same-sex marriages performed in a foreign jurisdiction must be recognized in the United States for a patient’s partner to be recognized as a spouse under HIPAA.
 
Similarly, the HIPAA Privacy Rule recognizes marriage between same-sex and opposite-sex couples and defines a family member as a dependent of a marriage. These definitions apply to people who are legally married whether the jurisdiction where they reside recognizes the marriage or not.
 
Under §164.510(b) Standard: Uses and disclosures for involvement in the individual’s care and notification purpose, covered entities are permitted under certain circumstances to share PHI with a patient’s family member. Legally married same-sex couples are family members for the purpose of this provision regardless of where they reside.
 
The definition of family member also applies to §164.502(a)(5)(i), Use and disclosure of genetic information for underwriting purposes, which prohibits health plans with the exception of issuers of long-term care policies from using or disclosing genetic information for underwriting purposes. Plans are not permitted to make underwriting decisions about a patient based on his or her same-sex spouse’s genetic test results or manifestation of disease.
 
This article originally appeared on HCPro’s HIPAA Update blog. Stay up to date on all things HIPAA by signing up for e-mail updates from this blog.



Want to receive articles like this one in your inbox? Subscribe to HIM-HIPAA Insider!

    Briefings on APCs

  • Briefings on APCs

    Worried about the complexities of the new rules under OPPS and APCs? Briefings on APCs helps you understand the new rules...

  • HIM Briefings

    Guiding Health Information Management professionals through the continuously changing field of medical records and toward a...

  • Briefings on Coding Compliance Strategies

    Submitting improper Medicare documentation can lead to denial of fees, payback, fines, and increased diligence from payers...

  • Briefings on HIPAA

    How can you minimize the impact of HIPAA? Subscribe to Briefings on HIPAA, your health information management resource for...

  • APCs Insider

    This HTML-based e-mail newsletter provides weekly tips and advice on the new ambulatory payment classifications regulations...

Most Popular