Additional Uses and Disclosures

In certain situations, the law permits us to use or disclose your protected health information without your authorization. These situations include:

Required by law. We may use or disclose your protected health information, as we are required to do so by state or federal law, including disclosures to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Also, we are required to disclose your protected health information to you in accordance with the law.

Public health issues. We may disclose your protected health information to an authorized public health authority for public health activities in controlling disease, injury or disability. For example, we may disclose your protected health information to the childhood immunization registry.

Abuse or neglect. We may make disclosures to government authorities concerning abuse, neglect or domestic violence as required by law.

Health oversight activities. We may disclose your protected health information to a government agency authorized to conduct health care system or governmental procedures such as audits, examinations, investigations, inspections and licensure activity.

Legal proceedings. We may disclose your protected health information in the course of any legal proceeding, in response to a court order or administrative judge and, in certain cases, in response to a subpoena, discovery request or other lawful process.

Law enforcement. We may disclose your protected health information to law enforcement officials. For example, disclosures may be made in response to a warrant or subpoena or for the purpose of identifying or locating a suspect, witness or missing persons or to provide information concerning victims of crimes.

Coroners, medical examiners, funeral directors and organ donations. We may disclose your protected health information in certain instances to coroners and medical examiners during their investigations. We may also disclose protected health information to funeral directors so that they may carry out their duties. We may disclose protected health information to organizations that handle donations of organs, eyes or tissue and transplantations.

Research. We may disclose your protected health information to researchers only if certain established measures are taken to protect your privacy. For example, we may disclose to a teaching university to conduct medical research.

To prevent a serious threat to health or safety. We may disclose your protected health information to the extent necessary to avoid a serious and imminent threat to your health or safety or to the health or safety of others.

Military activity and national security. We may disclose your protected health information to armed forces personnel under certain circumstances, and to authorized federal officials for national security and intelligence activities.

Correctional institutions.  If you are an inmate, we may disclose your protected health information to your correctional facility to help provide you health care or to provide safety to you or others.

Workers’ compensation. We may disclose your protected health information as required by workers’ compensation laws.

Your Authorization. Any uses and disclosures not described in this notice, including the use and disclosure of protected health information for marketing purposes, and the sale of any protected health information, will require your written authorization except where permitted by law. Keep in mind that you may cancel your authorization in writing at any time.