Our Uses and Disclosures

How We Typically Use or Share Your Health Information

We typically use or share your health information in the following ways. Please note that not all types of uses and disclosures can be described or listed in this Notice.

Treat you

• We can use your health information and share it with other professionals who are treating you and coordinate services you may need.
  • Example: A doctor performing a clinical evaluation may talk another doctor about your overall health condition.

Run our organization

• We can use and share your health information to run our organization, improve your care, and contact you when necessary.
  • Example: We use health information about you to manage your treatment and services.

Run our organization

• We can use and share your health information to run our organization, improve your care, and contact you when necessary.
  • Example: We use health information about you to manage your treatment and services.

Bill for your services

• We can use and share your health information to bill and get payment from health plans and other entities.
  • Example: We give information about you to your health insurance plan so it will pay for your services.

Work with our contracted Business Associates and Subcontractors

• The Department contracts with individuals, other agencies, and businesses to carry out some of the services for which we are responsible. Examples would include community based care agencies, case management agencies, mental health treatment centers, and technology vendors.

How else can we use or share your health information?

We are allowed or required to share your information in the course of investigations, determining eligibility, providing care, services or other benefits, and in other ways— usually in ways that contribute to the public good, such as public health and research. We have to meet many conditions in the law before we can share your information for these purposes.

For more information see: www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/index.html

Help with public health and safety issues

• We can share health information about you for certain situations such as:
  • Preventing disease
  • Helping with product recalls
  • Reporting adverse reactions to medications
  • Reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence
  • Preventing or reducing a serious threat to anyone’s health or safety

Do research

• We can use or share your information for health research.

Comply with the law

• We will share information about you if state or federal laws require it, including with the Department of Health and Human Services if it wants to see that we’re complying with federal privacy law.

Respond to organ and tissue donation requests

• We can share health information about you with organ procurement organizations.

Respond to lawsuits and legal actions

We can share health information about you in response to a court or administrative order, or in response to a subpoena.

Work with a medical examiner or funeral director

We can share health information with a coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director when an individual dies.

Address workers’ compensation, law enforcement, and other government requests

We can use or share health information about you:

• For workers’ compensation claims
• For law enforcement purposes, with a law enforcement official, or correctional institutions
• With health oversight agencies for activities authorized by law
• For special government functions such as military, national security, and presidential protective services

Government agencies providing benefits or services

We can share your health information with other government agencies or programs that provide similar services or benefits to you if the release is necessary to coordinate the delivery of your services or benefits, or improves our ability to administer or manage the program.