1. Will HIPAA supersede or preempt state open records laws? For example, some state laws allow the media to obtain 911 tapes that disclose patient information?
2. Who can change or ask for an amendment to the patient medical record?
3. Can billing questions be handled over the phone since it will be impossible to verify that the person you are talking to is a relative of the patient? Are notarized statements required?
4. Many times, patient information is entrusted to wheelchair transportation companies, e.g., face sheets, x-rays, etc. What is the responsibility of the sending facility (i.e., hospital, nursing home) and the wheelchair company?
5. There are ocassionally third party companies that coordinate Medicaid transportation requests and assign them to wheelchair services. How do they comply with HIPAA's Privacy regulations?
6. Does a wheelchair transportation service that bills Medicaid for service need to comply with this regulation?
7. The dispatch center receives patient information. Does this also require them to be HIPAA compliant?
8. Our local first responder also bills for services and we commonly share information. Will they need to be HIPAA compliant also?
9. Can a business associate contract be incorporated into a mutual aid agreement?
10. Would an ambulance service need a business associate contract with every insurance company to which it sends bills?
11. Do ambulance services need a business associate contract from the local EMS office that receives copies of trip reports for quality review?
12. Are collection agencies considered business associates under HIPAA?
13. If the ambulance provider does not use patient names for call review, is this permissible?
14. Often the insurance company requires a copy of the Patient Care Report prior to paying a claim. Can we continue to provide this information after April 2003?
15. Does releasing patient information to the media violate HIPAA?
16. If a patient does not speak English, is the ambulance provider required to provide its notice of privacy practices in the patient's native language?
17. Would posting the notice of privacy practices in the back of the ambulance, where a patient sits, comply with the posting requirements?
18. Are consents required for use and disclosure of protected health information before an ambulance attendant can administer treatment to a patient?
19. Who receives the notice of privacy practices for a minor or incapacitated person?
20. When an ambulance service delivers a patient to a hospital, is it permitted to report its treatment of the patient and patient's medical history to the hospital, without the patient's authorization?