Does HIPAA allow us to continue to report vital statistics, such as births and deaths?
HIPAA Weekly Advisor, July 3, 2003
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Q: Does HIPAA allow us to continue to report vital statistics, such as births and deaths?
A: Yes, if state or local law requires it ,and if you report it to a public health authority authorized by law to collect or receive such information.
The regulations define a "public health authority" as
- an agency or authority of the United States
- a state, territory, political subdivision of a state or territory, or Indian tribe
- a person or entity acting under a grant of authority from, or contract with, an agency responsible for public health matters. This includes the employees or agents of a public agency or its contractors, persons, or entities to whom it has granted authority.
No authorization is required if the report is required by law and is made to a public health authority authorized to receive the report. This disclosure must be included in an accounting.
Note that reports made to newspapers or other media forms of birth or death announcements would require prior patient authorization.
Editor's note: Brought to you by attorneys Marty Baxter and Gretchen McBeath at Bricker and Eckler, LLP and The Quality Management Consulting Group, Ltd.. E-mail: mbaxter@bricker.com or gmcbeath@bricker.com
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