Overview:
ยง164.522(b)(1)
Standard: Confidential communications requirements.
(i) A covered health care provider must permit individuals to request and must accommodate reasonable requests by individuals to receive communications of protected health information from the covered health care provider by alternative means or at alternative locations.
(ii) A health plan must permit individuals to request and must accommodate reasonable requests by individuals to receive communications of protected health information from the health plan by alternative means or at alternative locations, if the individual clearly states that the disclosure of all or part of that information could endanger the individual.
Action Items:
1) Obtain and review policies and procedures describing how an individual may request to receive communications of PHI by alternative means and at alternative locations.
2) Obtain and review documentation of sample requests and the covered entity response.
Related Documents:
1) Policies and procedures describing how an individual may request to receive communications of PHI by alternative means and at alternative locations.
2) Documentation of sample requests and the covered entity response.
Additional Guidance:
Health plans and covered health care providers must permit individuals to request an alternative means or location for receiving communications of protected health information by means other than those that the covered entity typically employs. For example, an individual may request that the provider communicate with the individual through a designated address or phone number. Similarly, an individual may request that the provider send communications in a closed envelope rather than a post card. Health plans must accommodate reasonable requests if the individual indicates that the disclosure of all or part of the protected health information could endanger the individual. The health plan may not question the individual’s statement of endangerment. Any covered entity may condition compliance with a confidential communication request on the individual specifying an alternative address or method of contact and explaining how any payment will be handled.
Article ID: 562
Created: September 29, 2022
Last Updated: September 29, 2022
Author: Matthew Burdick
Online URL: http://www.compliancewiki.org/article/hipaa-privacy-confidential-communications-requirements-164-522-b-1-562.html