2024 Archdiocese of Atlanta / Lay Employee Quick Guide - Flipbook - Page 47
safety of others; when necessary for law enforcement on the premises of a correctional institution; or for the safety and security
of a correctional institution.
•
Coroners, Medical Examiners and Funeral Directors. The Plan may disclose protected health information to a
coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director. This may be necessary, for example, to identify a deceased person or determine
the cause of death, or to allow a funeral director to carry out their duties.
•
National Security and Intelligence Activities. The Plan may disclose protected health information about you to
authorized federal officials for intelligence, counterintelligence, and other national security activities authorized by law.
Disclosure may occur to protect certain government officials.
•
Family Members, Friends, Others. The Plan may disclose protected health information about you to a family
member, friend, or other person, for the purpose of helping you with your health care or with payment for your health care, if
you are in a situation such as a medical emergency and you cannot give your agreement to the Plan to make this disclosure or
if it is otherwise reasonable to infer that you do not object to the disclosure. The Plan may disclose to your personal
representative, for example, someone that you appoint or designate according to applicable law.
•
Research. The Plan may disclose protected health information about you for research purposes when certain
requirements are met as provided by HIPAA.
•
Incidental. HIPAA permits a disclosure that occurs incidentally or as a by-product of another permissible or required
use or disclosure, as long as the Plan has applied reasonable safeguards and implemented a minimum necessary standard,
when applicable.
•
Fundraising. The Plan may contact you for fundraising purposes, in accordance with the requirements of HIPAA.
You have the right to opt out of receiving such communications.
Your Rights Regarding Protected Health Information the Plan Maintains
You have the following rights regarding protected health information the Plan maintains about you:
• Right to Inspect and Copy. You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of certain protected health information the
Plan maintains about you, except for psychotherapy notes and other limited exceptions, such as information compiled in
anticipation of or for use in a legal or administrative action. Your rights are with respect to protected health information the
Plan maintains in a “designated record set.” A designated record set means a group of records maintained by or for the Plan
that is enrollment, payment, claims adjudication, and case or medical management record systems; or that is used by or for the
Plan to make decisions about you. You must submit your request in writing to the Contact Office designated at the end of this
Notice. If you request a copy of the information, we will provide you with such copy in the form and format requested by
you, provided that it is readily producible in such form and format. If not, we will provide you with such copy in another form
and format as agreed to by you and the Plan. If the protected health information that is the subject of your request is maintained
electronically, and if you request an electronic copy of such information, the Plan will provide you with such copy in the
electronic form and format, provided that it is readily producible in such form and format. If not, we will provide you with
such copy in another form and format as agreed to by you and the Plan. Generally, if you request a copy of the information,
a fee may be charged for the costs of copying, mailing or other supplies associated with your request. In limited cases, the
Plan does not have to agree to your request. If you are denied access to protected health information, you may in most instances
request that the denial be reviewed.
• Right to Amend. You have the right to ask for the amendment of your protected health information that is maintained by
the Plan in a “designated record set” (see above definition). Your request must be made in writing and submitted to the Contact
Office designated at the end of this Notice. In addition, you must provide a reason that supports your request. The Plan may
deny your request if not in writing or if it does not contain supporting reasons. In addition, the Plan may deny your request
(1) if the subject of the request is not part of the designated record set or if you ask to amend information that was not created
by the Plan (unless the person or entity that created the information is no longer available to act on the requested amendment);
(2) if the protected health information would not otherwise be available to you for inspection; or (3) if the protected health
information is accurate and complete. If your request is denied, you will be told why, and you can submit a statement that you
disagree with the denial.
43