What Is an Authorization for Release of Health Information Pursuant to HIPAA?
Best Guide for 2024 | What You Need to Know About the HIPAA Form for Patients to Release Medical Information
The need to request a HIPAA release form PDF can range from a person wanting a copy of their own health records to the need to send medical records to a specialist in another medical office.
We’ve included a free downloadable HIPAA consent form PDF and Word document, as well as links to other free HIPAA compliant forms you can check out.
A medical HIPAA form may also be needed if someone is applying for disability benefits or for insurance reasons. Whatever the reason, if your medical office or practice needs to comply with HIPAA rules, then you have to use a HIPAA compliant authorization form before medical records can be released to another party.
In this article, you’ll get an overview of what is considered a HIPAA compliant authorization form. Additionally, if you’ve been looking for patient free printable HIPAA forms, you’ll find them in this article.
HIPAA Release of Information Form
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is one of the most well-known regulations governing patient rights and information protection. Within this set of regulations is the HIPAA Privacy Rule which governs things like authorization to release medical records.
A HIPAA privacy authorization form is required to be signed by a patient or their legal representative before their protected health information (PHI) can be released to the patient or a third party.
If you’re looking for private practice or social work tools that include the HIPAA release and other intake forms, subscribe to our Client & Case Management Hub software today.
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Table of Contents: HIPAA Medical Release Form Details
Keep on scrolling down this page to read each section or click any link below to go directly to that section.
- What Does a HIPAA Medical Records Release Authorization Form Do?
- HIPAA Privacy Rule Overview
- What Must Be Included in a HIPAA Authorization to Release Medical Information Form?
- When Is a HIPAA Medical Release Form Needed?
- When Is a HIPAA Medical Release Form Not Needed?
- Types of PHI Covered by a HIPAA Waiver Form
- Download Free Printable HIPAA Forms (PDF & Word)
- Where Else Can You Find Free Printable HIPAA Forms?
- Conclusion | Guide to the HIPAA Medical Records Release Form
- FAQ | HIPAA Release of Information Form
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What Does a HIPAA Medical Records Release Authorization Form Do?
A HIPAA authorization to release medical records form gives the healthcare provider that maintains a person’s medical records the permission to share designated information with the person or entity listed on the authorization.
Medical records include what HIPAA terms “protected health information” or PHI. This is sensitive information that is protected by federal law in the U.S. Additionally, many other countries have their own requirements for data privacy of health information.
It is considered a violation of HIPAA if a medical provider, therapist, or social worker were to release protected health information without the properly signed HIPAA form for patients.
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Do you have any questions about finding HIPAA compliant online forms free, a downloadable HIPAA release form PDF, or a HIPAA release of information to family? If so, click here to contact the Social Work Team.
HIPAA Privacy Rule Overview
The need to have a signed authorization for release of health information pursuant to HIPAA is laid out in the HIPAA Privacy Rule. This is a part of the HIPAA regulations that relate to data privacy.
The Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information (“Privacy Rule”) sets standards for the protection of certain types of health information. The rule was issued by the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of the HIPAA regulation.
The information considered PHI and protected by the Privacy Rule includes:
- An individual’s past, present, or future mental or physical health condition
- The provision of health care provided to the individual
- Past, present, or future payment for the provision of health care to the individual
Personally identifiable information, such as name, Social Security Number, birth date, etc. are also protected.
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The key goal of the rule and the need for a HIPAA privacy authorization form is to protect an individual’s privacy. It states that an entity covered by HIPAA may not disclose PHI unless:
- It is a circumstance permitted by the Privacy Rule
- The individual that is the subject of the information (or their representative) authorizes it in writing.
It is because of that second provision that it’s not unusual for social workers and others in the healthcare field to be searching for a free HIPAA form for records release authorization that includes the specific language and fields required by HIPAA.
Next, we’ll look at the requirements for a HIPAA-compliant authorization to release medical records form.
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What Must Be Included in a HIPAA Authorization to Release Medical Information Form?
When looking online for a free HIPAA release form, you want to ensure it contains the required information outlined in the HIPAA Privacy Rule. Otherwise, you could end up with a compliance issue if something important is left out.
A HIPAA release form PDF that you download should comply with the following requirements of the Privacy Rule:
- Must be written in plain language
- Must contain specific information regarding what is to be disclosed or used
- Must include the name of the person(s) disclosing the information
- Must include the name of the person(s) receiving the information
- Must include an expiration date or event
- Must include a description of each purpose of the disclosure (it’s permittable to use a reason such as, “at the request of the individual.”)
- Must include details on the right to revoke the authorization in writing
- Must include the signature of the individual or someone authorized to make health care decisions on behalf of the individual
- Must include the date signed
You can find more details on the requirements for a medical HIPAA form to release medical information at the HHS website.
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Are you looking for other free social worker templates & forms besides a free HIPAA release form PDF? You can download all our free social worker tools here.
When Is a HIPAA Medical Release Form Needed?
A HIPAA form for patients is needed for any use or disclosure of protected health information that isn’t for treatment, payment, or health care operations.
In most cases, a health care provider cannot require a patient to fill out a medical records release authorization form as a condition of receiving treatment, making payment, or benefits eligibility.
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When Is a HIPAA Medical Release Form Not Needed?
There are a few exceptions when the use of a medical HIPAA form is not needed.
Public interest and benefit activities: Disclosure of PHI does not require an individual’s authorization for certain national priority purposes, such as when the information is needed for a public health emergency.
When required by law: When PHI disclosure without the use of an authorization to release medical records is permitted by law (e.g., court order or statute).
Public health activities: When public health authorities are required by law to collect personal health information to prevent disease, injury, or disability. Such as in the case of receiving reports of child abuse or when employers need to report workplace injuries in compliance with OSHA or similar laws.
Health oversite activities: A health care provider can disclose PHI without the use of a HIPAA release of information form when there is a legally authorized health oversight activity, such as audits of a hospital.
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Judicial proceedings & law enforcement purposes: PHI can be disclosed without patient authorization in certain circumstances during a judicial or administrative proceeding and for law enforcement purposes.
Certain marketing communications: When marketing communication occurs in a face-to-face encounter between the covered entity (e.g., health care provider) and the individual or when the communication involves a promotional gift of nominal value, a medical release authorization does not need to be given.
Other reasons: Some of the other exceptions to the Privacy Rule requirement for a HIPAA waiver form include for funeral functions, cadaveric organ, eye, or tissue donation, serious threats to health and safety, research, workers’ compensation, and more. You can find more details on exceptions here.
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Do you have any questions about patient free printable HIPAA forms, a HIPAA release form PDF, or other forms, such as a free HIPAA business associate agreement template 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and beyond? If so, click here to contact the Social Work Team.
Types of PHI Covered by a HIPAA Waiver Form
When filling out a HIPAA consent form PDF, the individual will need to identify the type of information that is being authorized to be shared.
A HIPAA compliant authorization form will also often include categories of medical record information and a place where the individual can check to share all medical records.
The types of PHI that can be disclosed using a HIPAA form for patients are:
- Physician’s orders
- Mental health information
- All health information
- Progress notes
- Pathology reports
- History/physical exam
- Billing information
- Past/present medications
- Radiology reports & images
- Lab & test results
- Consultation reports
- Messages
Psychotherapy notes receive extra protections under HIPAA and are not treated exactly as other mental health information.
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Are there more exclusions from a medical permission form that you’d like to share? If so, click here to contact the Social Work Team.
Download Free Printable HIPAA Forms (PDF & Word)
If you’re looking for a free HIPAA authorization form, you’ve come to the right place. Click here to access Social Work Portal’s free HIPAA authorization form for release of health information.
Note: These HIPAA release form PDF and Word files are not meant as legal advice and are provided for educational purposes. You are free to use them as you like but should check the guidelines for any data privacy regulations governing your practice to ensure they are adequate for your needs.
Get a Free HIPAA Release Form & Other Free Tools
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Where Else Can You Find Free Printable HIPAA Forms?
Are you looking for other examples of HIPAA compliant online forms free templates? We have gathered a few online resource links that provide free HIPAA release form PDF and other files.
Places to find free HIPAA medical records release form examples:
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Do you have more questions about a form for HIPAA release of information to family or another third party? If so, click here to contact the Social Work Team.
Conclusion | Guide to the HIPAA Medical Records Release Form
The HIPAA Privacy Rule is designed to protect an individual’s sensitive health-related information from being disclosed without proper permission. Organizations that are subject to HIPAA need to ensure they are using a HIPAA privacy authorization form that complies with the requirements listed in the Privacy Rule.
If you’re new to HIPAA and looking for a form for authorization to release medical records, there are plenty of resources out there to reference. In addition to the free HIPAA form examples in this article, including our downloadable HIPAA release form PDF, there are many other options you can find online.
Are you ready to improve the efficiency and capacity of your social work, counseling or therapy practice? Subscribe to Client Assessment & Case Management Hub tools today.
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FAQ | HIPAA Release of Information Form
What form is used to allow the release of medical records?
An Authorization to Release Medical Records, also known as a HIPAA privacy authorization form is used to allow the release of medical records. This medical HIPAA form may have other similar names as well. However, the purpose remains the same – to authorize the release of protected health information.
What does a HIPAA release form do?
A HIPAA authorization to release medical records form gives the healthcare provider that maintains a person’s medical records the permission to share designated information with the person or entity listed on the authorization.
What is required for a HIPAA release?
A HIPAA release form PDF that you download should comply with the following requirements of the HIPAA Privacy Rule:
•Written in plain language
•Contains specific information regarding what is to be disclosed or used
•Includes the name of the person(s) disclosing the information
•Includes the name of the person(s) receiving the information
•Includes an expiration date or event
•Includes a description of each purpose of the disclosure
•Includes details on the right to revoke the authorization in writing
•Includes the signature of the individual or someone authorized to make health care decisions on behalf of the individual
•Includes the date signed
Where can I find a free HIPAA authorization form?
In the article above, you will find patient free printable HIPAA forms. We also have included several links to other free HIPAA compliant forms resources.
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