(a) General requirements for disclosure. Except as specified in paragraph (b) of this section, the following provisions are required of the QIO.

(1) Disclosure to licensing and certification bodies.

(i) A QIO must disclose confidential information upon request, to State or Federal licensing bodies responsible for the professional licensure of a practitioner or a particular institution. Confidential information, including QIO medical necessity determinations that display the practice or performance patterns of that practitioner, must be disclosed by the QIO but only to the extent that it is required by the agency to carry out a function within the jurisdiction of the agency under Federal or State law.

(ii) A QIO may provide the information specified in paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this section to the State or Federal licensing body without request.

(2) Disclosure to State and local public health officials. A QIO must disclose QIO information to State and local public health officials whenever the QIO determines that the disclosure of the information is necessary to protect against a substantial risk to the public health.

(3) Disclosure to the courts. Patient identified records in the possession of a QIO are not subject to subpoena or discovery in a civil action, including an administrative, judicial or arbitration proceeding.

(b) Exceptions.

(1) The restriction set forth in paragraph (a)(3) of this section does not apply to HHS, including Inspector General, administrative subpoenas issued in the course of audits and investigations of Department programs, in the course of administrative hearings held under the Social Security Act or to disclosures to the General Accounting Office as necessary to carry out its statutory responsibilities.

(2) A QIO must disclose information regarding QIO deliberations and quality review study information only as specified in §§480.139(a) and 480.140.

[50 FR 15359, Apr. 17, 1985; 50 FR 41887, Oct. 16, 1985. Redesignated at 64 FR 66279, Nov. 24, 1999, as amended at 69 FR 49267, Aug. 11, 2004]