When Can Government Agencies Release Patient Health Information With Consent?

Government agencies can release patient health information with consent if the agency is a covered entity or if the information is needed for an essential government function.

Covered Entity

• A covered entity is any business that furnishes health care, bills or receives payments for health care during their normal course of business. If the government agency is a health care provider, a health care clearinghouse or a health plan, it is a covered entity. The agency can release information with or without your consent to get your bill paid, or to continue your medical treatment at another entity.

Limited Data Sets

• If the government agency collects health data for analysis in support of policy, planning, regulatory or management functions, it is permitted to disclose information to other government agencies for health data systems. Non-covered government entities only maintain limited data sets of information, which have the identifiers removed before the government agency receives them. Identifiers include name, address and Social Security numbers.

Essential Government Functions

• A government agency may also release information with your consent for certain essential government functions. Functions include executing military missions, conducting intelligence and national security activities and for disaster relief efforts to allow public and private entities to develop and implement emergency medical management plans.