Persons or organizations that obtain confidential QIO information must not further disclose the information to any other person or organization except—

(a) As directed by the QIO to carry out a disclosure permitted or required under a particular provision of this part;

(b) As directed by CMS to carry out specific responsibilities of the Secretary under the Act;

(c) As necessary for CMS to carry out its responsibilities for appeals under section 1155 of the Act or for CMS to process sanctions under section 1156 of the Act;

(d) If the health care services furnished to an individual patient are reimbursed from more than one source, these sources of reimbursement may exchange confidential information as necessary for the payment of claims;

(e) If the information is acquired by the QIO from another source and the receiver of the information is authorized under its own authorities to acquire the information directly from the source, the receiver may disclose the information in accordance with the source's redisclosure rules;

(f) As necessary for the General Accounting Office to carry out its statutory responsibilities;

(g) Information pertaining to a patient or practitioner may be disclosed by that individual provided it does not identify any other patient or practitioner;

(h) An institution may disclose information pertaining to itself provided it does not identify an individual patient or practitioner;

(i) Governmental fraud or abuse agencies and State licensing or certification agencies recognized by CMS may disclose information as necessary in a judicial, administrative or other formal legal proceeding resulting from an investigation conducted by the agency;

(j) State and local public health officials to carry out their responsibilities, as necessary, to protect against a substantial risk to the public health; or

(k) As necessary for the Office of the Inspector General to carry out its statutory responsibilities.

(l) Redisclosures of information that is confidential because it identifies the parties involved in immediate advocacy may occur if all parties have consented to the redisclosure, as provided for under §476.110(c) of this chapter.

[50 FR 15359, Apr. 17, 1985; 50 FR 41886, Oct. 16, 1985. Redesignated at 64 FR 66279, Nov. 24, 1999; 77 FR 68564, Nov. 15, 2012]