2024 Archdiocese of Atlanta / Lay Employee Quick Guide - Flipbook - Page 46
these individuals, the Plan Sponsor must have agreed in writing to ensure the continuing privacy of your protected health
information in a manner that is consistent with HIPAA and the Plan’s documentation.
Also, HIPAA permits the Plan to disclose information to the Plan Sponsor, without your authorization, if that
information is given in summary form that does not include your name or certain other distinguishing characteristics, and if it
is disclosed for the purpose of obtaining health plan premium bids, amending or terminating the Plan, or to advise of
participation or enrollment in, or disenrollment from, the Plan. This summary information may be disclosed by the Plan
without the Plan Sponsor’s written agreement regarding its continued privacy.
As required by HIPAA, the Plan will not disclose information to the Plan Sponsor for the purpose of the Sponsor’s
workforce and employment actions or decisions, unless you authorize the Plan to make this disclosure. However, separate
and apart from operation of the Plan and what the Plan may or may not disclose, the Plan Sponsor continues to be allowed to
require your health information before it makes certain decisions about its workforce, its employees, or program participation.
As an example, the Plan Sponsor has the right to receive medical documentation before it grants you a medical leave of
absence. If it does not receive medical documentation, the Plan Sponsor may be unable to approve your leave of absence.
HIPAA does not regulate the Plan Sponsor in these types of situations. What it regulates is the ability of individuals under the
control of the Plan Sponsor who specifically perform the Plan’s administrative functions such as payment, health care
operations, and assistance with treatment, to disclose protected health information from the Plan to the Plan Sponsor.
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To Avert a Serious Threat to Health or Safety. The Plan may use and disclose protected health information about
you when necessary to prevent a serious threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of the public or another person;
or for law enforcement authorities to identify or apprehend an individual.
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Organ, Eye, or Tissue Donation. The Plan may disclose protected health information to organizations that handle
organ procurement or organ, eye or tissue transplantation or to an organ donation bank, as necessary to facilitate organ, eye,
or tissue donation and transplantation.
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Military and Veterans. If you are a member of the armed forces, the Plan may release protected health information
about you as required by military command authorities. It may also release information about foreign military personnel to
the appropriate foreign military authority.
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Workers' Compensation. The Plan may release protected health information about you for workers' compensation
or similar programs that provide benefits for work-related illness or injury.
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Public Health/Abuse. The Plan may disclose protected health information about you for public health activities such
as reporting births and deaths, disease, injury, investigations and the like, when the purpose is to prevent or control disease,
injury, or disability; to report child abuse or neglect; to report reactions to medications or problems with products; to notify
people of recalls of products they may be using; to notify a person who may have been exposed to a disease or may be at risk
for contracting or spreading a disease or condition; for public health surveillance; for evaluations relating to medical
surveillance of the workplace or to evaluate whether the individual has a work-related illness or injury; or to notify the
appropriate authority if the Plan believes an individual has been the victim of abuse, neglect or domestic violence.
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Health Oversight Activities. The Plan may disclose protected health information to a health oversight agency for
activities authorized by law; for example, audits, investigations, inspections, and licensure. These and other activities are
necessary for the government to monitor the health care system, government programs, and compliance with civil rights laws.
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Lawsuits and Disputes. If there is a lawsuit or a dispute, the Plan may disclose protected health information about
you in response to a court or administrative order. The Plan may disclose protected health information in response to a
subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process, but only if efforts have been made to tell you about the request or to
obtain an order protecting the information requested.
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Law Enforcement and Correctional Institutions. The Plan may disclose protected health information for a law
enforcement purpose in response to a court order, subpoena, warrant, summons or similar process; to identify or locate a
suspect, fugitive, material witness, or missing person; about a person who is or is suspected to be a victim of a crime if, under
certain limited circumstances, the Plan is unable to obtain the person’s agreement; or about a death the Plan believes may be
the result of criminal conduct. The Plan may disclose information about inmates or someone who is under the custody of a
law enforcement official, when necessary to provide you with health care; to protect your health and safety or the health and
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