Q&A: HIPAA for public figures

Q: Are there any clauses in HIPAA that mandate the sharing of health information of a public figure (such as the president) whose health is of legitimate interest to the American public? Or do normal HIPAA rules apply for the president?

A: The president and other national officials are protected by HIPAA the same as all residents in the United States. There are special provisions that require covered entities to disclose PHI to authorized federal officials and the president (45 CFR 164.512(k)(2) and (3)). Those provisions are intended to provide needed information to protect national security and the president versus requiring disclosure of the health of the president and other federal officials.

Editor’s note: Chris Apgar is president of Apgar & Associates, LLC, in Portland, Oregon. He is also a BOH editorial advisory board member. This information does not constitute legal advice. Consult legal counsel for answers to specific privacy and security questions. Opinions expressed are those of the author and do not represent HCPro or ACDIS.