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Releasing Protected Health Information

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Releasing Protected Health Information Chasity Halfhill HCR/210 May 24, 2015 Courtney Werkheiser

Established by the U.S. Congress in 1996 and made effective July 1,

1997, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a group

of regulations working against abuse and fraud in health insurance and the

delivery of health care. HIPAA’s purpose also includes improving the health care

system’s effectiveness and efficiency, providing for the continuation of health

insurance coverage, and delivering consequences for organizations and

individuals who do not comply with HIPAA regulations (Highmark, 2007).

Different representatives and agencies can request, with or without patients

consent, patients protected health information (PHI). PHI is information that is

connected to an individual and includes name, telephone number, address, date

of birth, social security number, name of employer, and/or Medicaid identification

number (Green and Bowie, 2005).

Many situations arise when the government has the legal obligation or

right to a patients medical records. For example, state agencies are required to

keep records of deaths and births. They must also maintain registries of people

who have received a diagnosis of a serious illness like cancer. Disclosures of

such information to the government typically do not require an individuals

authorization (Highmark, 2007).

Medicaid, Medicare veteran’s activities, national security and intelligence

activities, the military, armed forces personnel, correctional institutions and

presidential protective services do not require authorization--all may receive

protected

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