5101.271 Disclosure of medical assistance information.

(A) Except as permitted by this section, section 5101.273, or rules adopted under section 5101.30 of the Revised Code, or when required by federal law, no person or government entity shall use or disclose information regarding a medical assistance recipient for any purpose not directly connected with the administration of the medical assistance program.

(B) Both of the following shall be considered to be purposes directly connected with the administration of the medical assistance program:

(1) Treatment, payment, or other operations or activities authorized by 42 C.F.R. Chapter IV;

(2) Any administrative function or duty the department of job and family services performs alone or jointly with a federal government entity, another state government entity, or a local government entity implementing a provision of federal law.

(C) The department or a county agency may disclose information regarding a medical assistance recipient to any of the following:

(1) The recipient or the recipient’s authorized representative;

(2) The recipient’s legal guardian in accordance with division (C) of section 2111.13 of the Revised Code;

(3) The attorney of the recipient, if the department or county agency has obtained authorization from the recipient, the recipient’s authorized representative, or the recipient’s legal guardian that meets all requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, Pub. L. 104-191, 110 Stat. 1955, 42 U.S.C. 1320d et seq., as amended, regulations promulgated by the United States department of health and human services to implement the act, section 5101.272 of the Revised Code, and any rules the director of job and family services adopts under section 5101.30 of the Revised Code;

(4) A health information or health records management entity that has executed with the department a business associate agreement required by 45 C.F.R 164.502(e)(2) and has been authorized by the recipient, the recipient’s authorized representative, or the recipient’s legal guardian to receive the recipient’s electronic health records in accordance with rules the director of job and family services adopts under section 5101.30 of the Revised Code;

(5) A court if pursuant to a written order of the court.

(D) The department may receive from county departments of job and family services information regarding any medical assistance recipient for purposes of training and verifying the accuracy of eligibility determinations for medical assistance. The department may assemble information received under this division into a report if the report is in a form specified by the department. Information received and assembled into a report under this division shall remain confidential and not be subject to disclosure pursuant to section 149.43 or 1347.08 of the Revised Code.

(E) The department shall notify courts in this state regarding its authority, under division (C)(5) of this section, to disclose information regarding a medical assistance recipient pursuant to a written court order.

Added by 129th General Assembly File No. 28, HB 153, § 101.01, eff. 9/29/2011.

Former section renumbered as §5101.272 by 129th General Assembly File No. 28, HB 153, § 101.01, eff. 9/29/2011.