Source: https://aspe.hhs.gov/report/standards-privacy-individually-identifiable-health-information-final-privacy-rule-preamble/section-164524a-right-access
Timestamp: 2018-03-22 16:08:46
Document Index: 57770986

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 164', '§ 164', '§ 164', '§ 164', '§ 164', '§ 164']

Section 164.524(a) - Right of Access | ASPE
Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information. Final Privacy Rule Preamble.. Section 164.524(a) - Right of Access
Section 164.524 - Access of I...
Section 164.524(a) - Right of ...
Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information Federal Register: January 5, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 3) Protecting the Privacy of Patients' Health Information Federal Register: February 28, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 40) Federal Register: December 15, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 240)
In the NPRM, we proposed to establish a right for individuals to access (i.e., inspect and obtain a copy of) protected health information about them maintained by a covered provider or health plan, or its business partners, in a designated record set.
As in the proposed rule, in the final rule we provide that individuals have a right of access to protected health information that is maintained in a designated record set. This right applies to health plans, covered health care providers, and health care clearinghouses that create or receive protected health information other than as a business associate of another covered entity (see § 164.500(b)). In the final rule, however, we modify the definition of designated record set. For a discussion of the significant changes made to the definition of designated record set, see § 164.501 and the corresponding preamble.
Under the revised definition, individuals have a right of access to any protected health information that is used, in whole or in part, to make decisions about individuals. This information includes, for example, information used to make health care decisions or information used to determine whether an insurance claim will be paid. Covered entities often incorporate the same protected health information into a variety of different data systems, not all of which will be utilized to make decisions about individuals. For example, information systems that are used for quality control or peer review analyses may not be used to make decisions about individuals. In that case, the information systems would not fall within the definition of designated record set. We do not require entities to grant an individual access to protected health information maintained in these types of information systems.
As in the proposed rule, covered entities must provide access to individuals for as long as the protected health information is maintained in a designated record set.
In the NPRM, we proposed to establish a right for individuals to access any protected health information maintained in a designated record set. Though we proposed to permit covered entities to deny access in certain situations relating to the particular individual requesting access, we did not specifically exclude any protected health information from the right of access.
In the final rule, we specify three types of information to which individuals do not have a right of access, even if the information is maintained in a designated record set. They are psychotherapy notes, information compiled in reasonable anticipation of, or for use in, a civil, criminal, or administrative action or proceeding, and certain protected health information maintained by a covered entity that is subject to or exempted from the Clinical Laboratory Improvements Amendments of 1988 (CLIA). Covered entities may, but are not required to, provide access to this information.
First, unlike the proposed rule, we specify that individuals do not have a right of access to psychotherapy notes.
Second, individuals do not have a right of access to information compiled in reasonable anticipation of, or for use in, a civil, criminal, or administrative action or proceeding. In the NPRM, we would have permitted covered entities to deny a request for access to protected health information complied in reasonable anticipation of, or for use in, a legal proceeding. We change the language in the final rule to clarify that a legal proceeding includes civil, criminal, and administrative actions and proceedings. In the final rule, we clarify that an individual does not have a right to this information by including it in the list of exceptions rather than stating that a covered entity may deny access to this information. Under this exception, the covered entity may deny access to any information that relates specifically to legal preparations but may not deny access to the individual's underlying health information. We do not intend to require covered entities to provide access to documents protected by attorney work-product privilege nor do we intend to alter rules of discovery.
Third, unlike the proposed rule, individuals do not have a right of access to protected health information held by clinical laboratories if CLIA prohibits such access. CLIA states that clinical laboratories may provide clinical laboratory test records and reports only to "authorized persons," as defined primarily by state law. The individual who is the subject of the information is not always included in this set of authorized persons. When an individual is not an authorized person, this restriction effectively prohibits the clinical laboratory from providing an individual access to this information. We do not intend to preempt CLIA and, therefore, do not require covered clinical laboratories to provide an individual access to this information if CLIA prohibits them from doing so. We note, however, that individuals have the right of access to this information if it is maintained by a covered health care provider, clearinghouse, or health plan that is not subject to CLIA.
Finally, unlike the proposed rule, individuals do not have access to protected health information held by certain research laboratories that are exempt from the CLIA regulations. The CLIA regulations specifically exempt the components or functions of "research laboratories that test human specimens but do not report patient specific results for the diagnosis, prevention or treatment of any disease or impairment of, or the assessment of the health of individual patients." 42 CFR 493.3(a)(2). If subject to the access requirements, these laboratories, or the applicable components of them, would be forced to comply with the CLIA regulations once they provided an individual with the access under this privacy rule. Therefore, to alleviate this additional regulatory burden, we have exempted these laboratories, or the relevant components of them, from the access requirements of this regulation.
Grounds for Denial of Access
In the NPRM we proposed to permit covered health care providers and health plans to deny an individual access to inspect and copy protected health information about them for five reasons: 1) a licensed health care professional determined the inspection and copying was reasonably likely to endanger the life or physical safety of the individual or another person; 2) the information was about another person (other than a health care provider) and a licensed health care professional determined the inspection and copying was reasonably likely to cause substantial harm to that other person; 3) the information was obtained under a promise of confidentiality from someone other than a health care provider and the inspection and copying was likely to reveal the source of the information; 4) the information was obtained by a covered provider in the course of a clinical trial, the individual agreed to the denial of access in consenting to participate in the trial, and the trial was in progress; and 5) the information was compiled in reasonable anticipation of, or for use in, a legal proceeding. In the NPRM, covered entities would not have been permitted to use these grounds to deny individuals access to protected health information that was also subject to the Privacy Act.
In the final rule, we retain all of these grounds for denial, with some modifications. One of the proposed grounds for denial (regarding legal proceedings) is retained as an exception to the right of access. (See discussion above.) We also include additional grounds for denial and create a right for individuals to request review of certain denials.
There are five types of denials covered entities may make without providing the individual with a right to have the denial reviewed.
First, a covered entity may deny an individual access to any information that is excepted from the right of access under § 164.524(a)(1). (See discussion above.)
Second, we add a new provision that permits a covered entity that is a correctional institution or covered health care provider acting under the direction of a correctional institution to deny an inmate's request to obtain a copy of protected health information if obtaining a copy would jeopardize the health, safety, security, custody, or rehabilitation of the individual or other inmates or the safety of any officer, employee or other person at the correctional institution or responsible for the transporting of the inmate. This ground for denial is restricted to an inmate's request to obtain a copy of protected health information. If an inmate requests inspection of protected health information, the request must be granted unless one of the other grounds for denial applies. The purpose for this exception, and the reason that the exception is limited to denying an inmate a copy and not to denying a right to inspect, is to give correctional institutions the ability to maintain order in these facilities and among inmates without denying an inmate the right to review his or her protected health information.
Third, as in the proposed rule, a covered entity may deny an individual access to protected health information obtained by a covered provider in the course of research that includes treatment of the research participants, while such research is in progress. For this exception to apply, the individual must have agreed to the denial of access in conjunction with the individual's consent to participate in the research and the covered provider must have informed the individual that the right of access will be reinstated upon completion of the research. If either of these conditions is not met, the individual has the right to inspect and copy the information (subject to the other exceptions we provide here). In all cases, the individual has the right to inspect and copy the information after the research is complete.
As with all the grounds for denial, covered entities are not required to deny access under the research exception. We expect all researchers to maintain a high level of ethical consideration for the welfare of research participants and provide access in appropriate circumstances. For example, if a participant has a severe adverse reaction, disclosure of information during the course of the research may be necessary to give the participant adequate information for proper treatment decisions.
Fourth, we clarify the ability of a covered entity to deny individuals access to protected health information that is also subject to the Privacy Act. In the final rule, we specify that a covered entity may deny an individual access to protected health information that is contained in records that are subject to the Privacy Act if such denial is permitted under the Privacy Act. This ground for denial exists in addition to the other grounds for denial available under this rule. If an individual requests access to protected health information that is also subject to the Privacy Act, a covered entity may deny access to that information for any of the reasons permitted under the Privacy Act and for any of the reasons permitted under this rule.
Fifth, as in the proposed rule, a covered entity may deny an individual access to protected health information if the covered entity obtained the requested information from someone other than a health care provider under a promise of confidentiality and such access would be reasonably likely to reveal the source of the information. This provision is intended to preserve a covered entity's ability to maintain an implicit or explicit promise of confidentiality. A covered entity may not, however, deny access to protected health information when the information has been obtained from a health care provider. An individual is entitled to have access to all information about him or her generated by the health care system (apart from the other exceptions we provide here). Confidentiality promises to health care providers should not interfere with that access.
As in the proposed rule, a covered entity may deny access to protected health information under certain circumstances in which the access may harm the individual or others. In the final rule, we specify that a covered entity may only deny access for these reasons if the covered entity provides the individual with a right to have the denial reviewed. (See below for a discussion of the right to review.)
There are three types of denials for which covered entities must provide the individual with a right to review. A denial under these provisions requires a determination by a licensed health care professional (such as a physician, physician's assistant, or nurse) based on an assessment of the particular circumstances and current professional medical standards of harm. Therefore, when the request is made to a health plan or clearinghouse, the covered entity will need to consult with a licensed health care professional before denying access under this provision.
First, as in the proposed rule, covered entities may deny individuals access to protected health information about them if a licensed health care professional has determined, in the exercise of professional judgment, that the access requested is reasonably likely to endanger the life or physical safety of the individual or another person. The most commonly cited example is when an individual exhibits suicidal or homicidal tendencies. If a licensed health care professional determines that an individual exhibits such tendencies and that permitting inspection or copying of some of the individual's protected health information is reasonably likely to result in the individual committing suicide, murder, or other physical violence, then the health care professional may deny the individual access to that information. Under this reason for denial, covered entities may not deny access on the basis of the sensitivity of the health information or the potential for causing emotional or psychological harm.
Second, as in the proposed rule, covered entities may deny an individual access to protected health information if the information requested makes reference to someone other than the individual (and other than a health care provider) and a licensed health care professional has determined, in the exercise of professional judgment, that the access requested is reasonably likely to cause serious harm to that other person. On some occasions when health information about one person is relevant to the care of another, a physician may incorporate it into the latter's record, such as information from group therapy sessions and information about illnesses with a genetic component. This provision permits a covered entity to withhold information in such cases if the release of such information is reasonably likely to cause substantial physical, emotional, or psychological harm.
Third, we add a new provision regarding denial of access requested by personal representatives. Under § 164.502(g), a person that is a personal representative of an individual may exercise the rights of the individual, including the right to inspect and copy protected health information about the individual that is relevant to such person's representation. The provision permits covered entities to refuse to treat a personal representative as the individual, generally, if the covered entity has a reasonable belief that the individual has been or will be subjected to domestic violence, abuse or neglect by the personal representative, or that treating the personal representative as the individual may endanger the individual and, in its professional judgment, the covered entity decides that it is not in the best interest of the individual to treat such person as the personal representative.
In addition to that provision, we add a new provision at § 164.524(a)(3)(iii) to clarify that a covered entity may deny a request to inspect or copy protected health information if the information is requested by a personal representative of the individual and a licensed health care professional has determined that, in the exercise of professional judgment, such access is reasonably likely to cause substantial harm to the individual who is the subject of the information or to another person. The health care professional need not have a reasonable belief that the personal representative has abused or neglected the individuals and the harm that is likely to result need not be limited to the individual who is the subject of the requested protected health information. Therefore, a covered entity can recognize a person as a personal representative but deny such person access to protected health information as a personal representative.
We do not intend these provisions to create a legal duty for the covered entity to review all of the relevant protected health information before releasing it. Rather, we are preserving the flexibility and judgment of covered entities to deny access under appropriate circumstances. Denials are not mandatory; covered entities may always elect to provide requested health information to the individual. For each request by an individual, the covered entity may provide all of the information requested or evaluate the requested information, consider the circumstances surrounding the individual's request, and make a determination as to whether that request should be granted or denied, in whole or in part, in accordance with one of the reasons for denial under this rule. We intend to create narrow exceptions to the right of access and we expect covered entities to employ these exceptions rarely, if at all. Covered entities may only deny access for the reasons specifically provided in the rule.
Review of a Denial of Access
In the NPRM, we proposed to require covered entities, when denying an individual's request for access, to inform the individual of how to make a complaint to the covered entity and the Secretary.
We retain in the final rule the proposed approach (see below). In addition, if the covered entity denies the request on the basis of one of the reviewable grounds for denial described above, the individual has the right to have the denial reviewed by a licensed health care professional who is designated by the covered entity to act as a reviewing official and who did not participate in the original decision to deny access. The covered entity must provide access in accordance with the reviewing official's determination. ( See below for further description of the covered entity's requirements under § 164.524(d)(4) if the individual requests a review of denial of access.)