Patients Can Send Protected Health Information to Anyone, Says HHS

​Individuals have the right to access their own protected health information (PHI) and send it to anyone they choose, reiterated the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in a recently released Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) guidance. Information that can be considered Right of Access includes medical and billing records covered by a healthcare provider; enrollment, payment, claims adjudication, and case or medical management systems maintained by a health plan; and other records that are used by healthcare entities to make decisions about an individual's care.