HIPAA Q&A: You’ve got questions. We’ve got answers!
HIM-HIPAA Insider, May 19, 2014
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Submit your HIPAA questions to Editor Jaclyn Fitzgerald at jfitzgerald@hcpro.com and we will work with our experts to provide you with the information you need.
Q. My brother claims he read in his dentist’s HIPAA statement that information was disclosed to the CIA and other government agencies. I suspect that his dentist was editorializing, but wanted to check. Could you explain what should be included in a HIPAA statement in physician/dentist offices? Can you direct me to the official statement?
A. Healthcare providers and health plans are required to give their patients/subscribers a Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP) that explains what PHI the organization collects about individuals and how that information is used. An NPP should include language similar to the following:
As required by law, we may disclose health information to the following types of entities, including but not limited to:
- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration
- Public health or legal authorities charged with preventing or controlling disease, injury, or disability
- Correctional institutions (if you are in custody of the correctional institution or a law enforcement officer)
- Workers’ compensation agents
- Organ and tissue donation organizations
- Military command authorities
- Health oversight agencies
- Funeral directors, coroners, and medical examiners
- National security and intelligence agencies
- Protective services for the president or others
For the actual language, refer to 45 CFR 164.520.
Editor’s note: Mary D. Brandt, MBA, RHIA, CHE, CHPS, vice president of health information at Baylor Scott & White Health in Temple, Texas, answered this question for HCPro’sBriefings on HIPAA newsletter.
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