Source: http://www.bricker.com/services/resource-details.aspx?resourceid=357
Timestamp: 2014-08-01 11:49:09
Document Index: 607218358

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

Bricker & Eckler LLP: HIPAA Privacy Regulations: Uses and Disclosures for Which an Authorization or Opportunity to Agree or Object is Not Required: Health Oversight Activities - § 164.512(d)
Uses and Disclosures for Which an Authorization or Opportunity to Agree or Object is Not Required: Uses and Disclosures for Health Oversight Activities
Section 164.512(d)
As Contained in the HHS HIPAA Privacy Rules HHS Regulations Uses and Disclosures for Which an Authorization or Opportunity to Agree or Object is Not Required: Uses and Disclosures for Health Oversight Activities - § 164.512(d)
Standard: uses and disclosures for health oversight activities.
Government benefit programs for which health information is relevant to beneficiary eligibility; Entities subject to government regulatory programs for which health information is necessary for determining compliance with program standards; or
Exception to health oversight activities. For the purpose of the disclosures permitted by paragraph (d)(1) of this section, a health oversight activity does not include an investigation or other activity in which the individual is the subject of the investigation or activity and such investigation or other activity does not arise out of and is not directly related to:
The receipt of health care;
Qualification for, or receipt of, public benefits or services when a patient's health is integral to the claim for public benefits or services.
Joint activities or investigations. Notwithstanding paragraph (d)(2) of this section, if a health oversight activity or investigation is conducted in conjunction with an oversight activity or investigation relating to a claim for public benefits not related to health, the joint activity or investigation is considered a health oversight activity for purposes of paragraph (d) of this section.
Permitted uses. If a covered entity also is a health oversight agency, the covered entity may use protected health information for health oversight activities as permitted by paragraph (d) of this section.
HHS Description Uses and Disclosures for Which an Authorization or Opportunity to Agree or Object is Not Required: Uses and Disclosures for Health Oversight Activities
HHS Response to Comments Received Uses and Disclosures for Which an Authorization or Opportunity to Agree or Object is Not Required: Uses and Disclosures for Health Oversight Activities
Comment: Some commenters were concerned that the NPRM would have allowed health oversight agencies to re-use and redisclose protected health information to other entities, and they were particularly concerned about re-disclosure to and re-use by law enforcement agencies. One commenter believed that government agencies would use the label of health oversight to gain access to protected health information from covered entities  thereby avoiding the procedural requirements of the law enforcement section (proposed § 164.510(f)) and subsequently would turn over information to law enforcement officials. Thus, these groups were concerned that the potential for oversight access to protected health information under the rule to become the "back door" to law enforcement access to such information.
Response: As described above, we recognize that in some cases, activities include elements of both law enforcement and health oversight. Because we consider both of these activities to be critical national priorities, we do not require covered entities to obtain authorization for disclosure of protected health information to law enforcement or health oversight agencies  including those oversight activities related to health care fraud. We believe that investigations involving health care fraud represent health oversight rather than law enforcement. Accordingly, as indicated above, we remove proposed § 164.510(f)(5)(i) from the law enforcement section of the proposed rule and clarify that all disclosures of protected health information for health oversight are permissible without authorization. As discussed in greater detail in § 164.514, the final rule's minimum necessary standard applies to disclosures under § 164.512 unless the disclosure is required by law under § 164.512(a).