Dear Privacy Listserv Subscriber:

We want to make you aware of a new Answer to the Frequently Asked Question
published by the Office for Civil Rights (OCR): When does the Privacy Rule
allow covered entities to disclose protected health information to law
enforcement officials? This Answer can be easily accessed from the "What's
New" column on the OCR website, http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/.

The Privacy Rule is balanced to protect an individual's privacy, while
allowing important law enforcement functions to continue. The FAQ
demonstrates this balance by explaining how the Rule permits covered
entities to disclose protected health information (PHI) to law enforcement
officials under various circumstances, and provides a helpful summary of the
permissible disclosures to law enforcement under various sections of the
Privacy Rule, including 45 CFR §§164.512(f), 164.502(j), 164.512(j),
164.512(b), 164.512(c), and 164.512(k).

We are pleased to be able to keep you informed about resources available to
assist you in understanding the HIPAA Privacy Rule.

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This email is being sent to you from the OCR-Privacy-list listserv, operated by the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in the US Department of Health and Human Services.

This is an announce-only list, a resource to distribute information about the HIPAA Privacy Rule. For additional information on a wide range of topics about the the Privacy Rule, please visit the OCR Privacy website at www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/. You can also call the OCR Privacy toll-free phone line at (866) 627-7748. Information about OCR's civil rights authorities and responsibilities can be found for the OCR home page at www.hhs.gov/ocr

If you believe that a person or organization covered by the Privacy Rule (a "covered entity") violated your health information privacy rights or otherwise violated the Privacy Rule, you may file a complaint with OCR. For additional information about how to file a complaint, see the Fact Sheet "How to File a Health Information Privacy Complaint," available at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacyhowtofile.htm .

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