HIPAA Quick Reference
Guide For Employees
When do I need a
patient's authorization?In general, anytime you release patient information for a reason unrelated to treatment, payment (e.g. billing), or healthcare operations, an authorization is required. For example:
- If a patient's Life Insurance Company requests a copy of information from the patient's medical record in order to process an application for life insurance, you would need a signed authorization from the patient before you could release that information.
- If a patient's employer contacted you and requested confirmation
that the patient was seen in the clinic on a certain date, you must
have the patient's signed authorization before sharing that information.
IMPORTANT NOTE: There are times when we may disclose information without an authorization. These disclosures must be accounted for so that we are able to report on those to the patient if requested. These situations are outlined in detail in the Accounting of Disclosures guidance.
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