Individual Access Rights

Subscribe to Individual Access Rights

We blogged on this back in early May, but compliance with individuals’ rights to access their PHI under HIPAA is even more critical now that OCR has announced that its current HIPAA audits will focus on an audited Covered Entity’s documentation and process related to these access rights.

In an email sent to listserv participants on July 12, 2016 from OCR-SECURITY-LIST@LIST.NIH.GOV, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) included the following list of areas of focus for the desk audits:

Requirements Selected for Desk Audit Review
Privacy Rule
Notice of Privacy Practices & Content Requirements  [§164.520(a)(1) & (b)(1)]
Provision of Notice – Electronic Notice   [§164.520(c)(3)]
Right to Access  [§164.524(a)(1), (b)(1), (b)(2), (c)(2), (c)(3), (c)(4), (d)(1), (d)(3)]
Breach Notification Rule
Timeliness of Notification  [§164.404(b)]
Content of Notification  [§164.404(c)(1)]
Security Rule
Security Management Process —  Risk Analysis  [§164.308(a)(1)(ii)(A)]
Security Management Process — Risk Management  [§164.308(a)(1)(ii)(B)]

As discussed in our prior post, HHS issued guidance regarding individuals’ rights to access PHI earlier this year. Here is a link to this PHI access guidance:  Individuals’ Right under HIPAA to Access their Health Information | HHS.gov

The HHS access guidance stresses that Covered Entities should provide individuals with “easy access” to their PHI and cannot impose “unreasonable measures” on the individuals with respect to this right to access. The HHS access guidance provides important information regarding the different rules that apply when an individual provides a signed authorization for release of their PHI versus when an individual is really making a request for access to his or her PHI.

If an individual is asking for the PHI to be provided to him or her, this is really a request for access even if the individual is providing a signed authorization for release of the PHI.

If the individual is asking the PHI to be directed to a third party, this can be either a situation when a signed authorization is needed or can be an access request, depending on who is really originating the request (the individual or the third party). A Covered Entity cannot require an individual to provide a signed authorization to make an access request.  A Covered Entity can require that the access request be in writing and can require use of a form as long as it does not impose undue burden on the individual’s right to access.

The HHS access guidance also indicates that if an individual requests that his or her PHI be provided by email, the Covered Entity is required to do so and further, if the individual requests in writing that the PHI be provided by unsecure, unencrypted email, the Covered Entity is required to do so after notifying the individual in writing of the risks of this method of transmission. (This notice can be included on the access request form.)

As a result of the HHS access guidance, a Covered Entity may need to review and amend its HIPAA Privacy Policies and Procedures governing individual rights with respect to access to PHI, the form it uses for individual access requests, and its employee training protocols to be sure employees aren’t requiring a patient  (or member, in the case of a health plan Covered Entity) to sign an authorization form when the patient is requesting access to PHI.

My heart goes out to any family member trying desperately to get news about a loved one in the hours and days following an individual or widespread tragedy, irrespective of whether it was triggered by an act of nature, an act of terrorism, or any other violent, unanticipated, life-taking event. My mind, though, struggles with the idea that HIPAA could actually exacerbate and prolong a family member’s agony.

HIPAA is, generally speaking, intended to protect our privacy when it comes to health status, treatment, or payment and to facilitate appropriate access to our health information. But, as is typical with federal laws intersecting areas historically governed by State law, HIPAA defers to State law in some key respects.  For example, if a HIPAA provision is contrary to a similar provision of State law, it preempts State law unless the State law relates to the privacy of individually identifiable health information and is “more stringent” than the comparable HIPAA provision.  HIPAA also references “applicable law” in describing who can get information as a personal representative of an individual or act on behalf of a deceased individual.

So what does this mean in the context of family members seeking information about loved ones following the devastating Orlando, Florida night club shooting or following some other violent tragedy?

If a victim is hospitalized and a friend or family member is trying to get information about the victim, HIPAA permits the hospital to share information under the following circumstances:

*          A hospital may use protected health information (PHI) to notify or assist in the notification of a family member, personal representative or other person responsible for the patient’s care of the patient’s location, general condition or death

*          A hospital can use a facility directory to inform visitors and callers of a patient’s location and general condition

*          A hospital can release information as to the victim of a crime in response to law enforcement’s request for such information under certain circumstances, and law enforcement can notify the families

*          If the patient is competent, the patient can tell the hospital that it may release all information to their family and friends

*          If the patient is not competent to authorize release of information, a “personal representative” (a person authorized under State law to act on behalf of the patient to make health care decisions) can have all information necessary to make decisions.  That person can also authorize release of information to others

Sadly, the agony of loved ones seeking information about a patient may be prolonged if they are not viewed as family members or if State law does not recognize the loved one as a “personal representative”.  Sure, the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) could amend the HIPAA regulations to deem certain individuals (for example, same-sex partners who are not legally married) to be personal representatives for purposes of access to PHI.  [Note: HHS treats legally married same-sex spouses as “family members” under HIPAA — see special topic publication available here.]

However, if the State law does not recognize these certain individuals as personal representatives, perhaps because the State law is “more stringent than” HIPAA in affording the patient greater privacy, HHS might also have to amend its HIPAA preemption regulations.

Hospitals and other health care professionals are constantly called upon to exercise discretion in dealing with requests for PHI from family members and loved ones of patients while complying with HIPAA.   HIPAA regulations may need to be modified or perhaps could be “waived” (as described yesterday’s Washington Post article) in some cases, but only when doing so furthers the fundamental HIPAA goals of privacy protection and facilitation of appropriate access.

Because of the enormity of the Orlando tragedy, some State legislatures may be expected to consider whether changes are necessary to promote information sharing in exigent circumstances while preserving the State’s interest in affording patients greater privacy protection than that afforded by HIPAA.

Daily struggles to protect personal data from hacking, phishing, theft and loss make it easy to forget that HIPAA is not just about privacy and security.  It also requires covered entities (CEs) to make an individual’s protected health information (PHI) accessible to the individual in all but a few, very limited circumstances.  Recent guidance published by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS Guidance) emphasizes the need for covered entities to be able to respond to an individual who says “I want my PHI” in a way that complies with HIPAA and state law access requirements, even when these requirements seem confusing and contradictory.

HIPAA authorizations are, perhaps, one of the most commonly misunderstood and misused forms. The HHS Guidance helpfully reminds CEs that authorizations are not needed for a CE to share PHI for treatment, payment and health care operations, and, of course, a CE can share PHI with a business associate under a HIPAA-compliant business associate agreement.  But when an individual requests PHI, whether directly or through a third party, it’s critical that the CE understand whether it is an access request or a request for disclosure pursuant to a HIPAA-compliant authorization.

My law partner and fellow HIPAA enthusiast Beth Larkin comments on some of the difficulties a CE faces when responding to an individual’s access request, highlighting the need to distinguish between an access request and disclosure pursuant to an authorization:

The HHS guidance wants CEs to provide individuals “easy access” to their health information.  CEs still, however, have to deal with other HIPAA requirements, including verification of the identity of the requestor, securing the PHI from unauthorized access and determining breach if there is unauthorized access.  Also, it is not always clear whether a patient is exercising an access right or requesting PHI pursuant to an authorization.  The patient may not know the difference and just indicates he or she wants copies of records and may present either an access request or an authorization form.

The HHS Guidance explains that while a CE can require an individual to submit a written access request, it can’t do so in a manner that creates a barrier or would delay the individual’s access:

For example, a doctor may not require an individual: …  [t]o use a web portal for requesting access, as not all individuals will have ready access to the portal …

If a CE uses a written form for individuals to request access to records (and ensures the form is readily accessible in multiple ways), the CE should give individuals as much information as possible about each form.

For example, as illustrated in the chart included in the HHS Guidance, a HIPAA authorization permits, but does not require, a CE to disclose the PHI.  An access request requires the disclosure (and requires the CE to act on the request within 30 days).  In addition, HHS explains that fees charged by the CE are limited when the individual requests access, and not when PHI is requested pursuant to an authorization (though certain charges might be prohibited under HIPAA regulations proscribing the receipt of remuneration for the disclosure of PHI). Finally, HHS notes that PHI sent pursuant to an authorization must be sent securely, while an individual can request that PHI sent pursuant an access request can be sent through an unsecure medium (though the risks of such a choice should be communicated to the individual if feasible).  If the CE makes all of this information clear and encourages the individual to ask questions as to which form should be used, it seems reasonable for a CE to then be able to rely on the individual’s choice of form.

When a third party requests an individual’s PHI, though, it can be especially difficult for a CE to figure out whether an authorization form has been sent when an access request would have been appropriate. Here, HHS suggests the CE reach out to the individual:

Where it is unclear to a covered entity, based on the form of request sent by a third party, whether the request is an access request initiated by the individual or merely a HIPAA authorization by the individual to disclose PHI to a third party, the entity may clarify with the individual whether the request was a direction from the individual or a request from the third party.

In short, if a HIPAA authorization is really an individual’s misguided attempt to say “I want my PHI!”, the CE will need to make sure it follows the individual access right requirements in responding.