Connecticut General Statutes 19a-585 – Requirements for disclosure of HIV-related information
(a) Whenever confidential HIV-related information is disclosed it shall be accompanied by a statement in writing, whenever possible, which includes the following or substantially similar language: “This information has been disclosed to you from records whose confidentiality is protected by state law. State law prohibits you from making any further disclosure of it without the specific written consent of the person to whom it pertains, or as otherwise permitted by said law. A general authorization for the release of medical or other information is NOT sufficient for this purpose.” An oral disclosure shall be accompanied or followed by such a notice within ten days.
Terms Used In Connecticut General Statutes 19a-585
- AIDS: means acquired immune deficiency syndrome, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control of the United States Public Health Service. See Connecticut General Statutes 19a-581
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Health facility: means an institution, as defined in section 19a-490, blood bank, blood center, sperm bank, organ or tissue bank, clinical laboratory or facility providing care or treatment to persons with psychiatric disabilities or persons with intellectual disability or a facility for the treatment of substance abuse. See Connecticut General Statutes 19a-581
- HIV infection: means infection with the human immunodeficiency virus or any other related virus identified as a probable causative agent of AIDS. See Connecticut General Statutes 19a-581
- HIV-related illness: means any illness that may result from or may be associated with HIV infection. See Connecticut General Statutes 19a-581
- HIV-related test: means any laboratory test or series of tests for any virus, antibody, antigen or etiologic agent whatsoever thought to cause or indicate the presence of HIV infection. See Connecticut General Statutes 19a-581
- Protected individual: means a person who has been counseled regarding HIV infection, is the subject of an HIV-related test or who has been diagnosed as having HIV infection, AIDS or HIV-related illness. See Connecticut General Statutes 19a-581
(b) Except for disclosures made to a federal, state, or local health officer when such disclosure is mandated or authorized by federal or state law or to persons reviewing information or records in the ordinary course of ensuring that a health facility is in compliance with applicable quality of care standards or any other authorized program evaluation, program monitoring or service review, a notation of all such disclosures shall be placed in the medical record or with any record of an HIV-related test result of a protected individual, who shall be informed of such disclosures upon request; provided for disclosures made to governmental agents requiring information necessary for payments to be made on behalf of patients or clients pursuant to contract or law, such notation need only be entered at the time the disclosure is first made.
(c) Nothing in this chapter shall limit a person’s or agency’s responsibility to report, investigate or disclose child protective services information pursuant to sections 17a-101, 17a-101a to 17a-101k, inclusive, 17a-103 and 46b-129a and regulations adopted pursuant to said sections.
(d) The provisions of subsections (a) and (b) of this section shall not be applicable to disclosures made pursuant to subdivision (11) of subsection (a) of section 19a-583.
(e) Except as provided in subparagraph (G) of subdivision (5) of subsection (d) of section 19a-582, nothing in this chapter shall prohibit the recording of HIV and AIDS-related information in the medical chart or medical records of a protected individual or the listing of AIDS, HIV-related illness or HIV infection in a certificate of death or autopsy report. This chapter shall not be construed to modify regulations relating to access to death certificates or autopsy reports. This chapter shall not be construed to modify the provisions of section 19a-25 or 19a-221.