Releasing Cause Of Death

[x635 4,066]

With the tragic death of Robin Williams, it's unsettling to me how quickly a cause of death is released.

How is the Coroner allowed to release the cause of death to the public without consent of the family? Medical information is protected by HIPPA, so how is it acceptable for such sensitive information to be released?

[INIT915 1,119]

With the tragic death of Robin Williams, it's unsettling to me how quickly a cause of death is released.

How is the Coroner allowed to release the cause of death to the public without consent of the family? Medical information is protected by HIPPA, so how is it acceptable for such sensitive information to be released?

HIPPA generally does not apply to law enforcement and medical examiners. HIPPA is not as broad as many people believe, it actually covers very little information. On top of that, some states have very broad public disclosure laws that mandate much of this information is public.

[10512 214]

HIPPA generally does not apply to dead people. Once you die, you lose a lot of your rights.

In most juristicitions, if not all, death records are public record. The ME's office releases that info as a matter of record.

Edited August 12, 2014 by 10512

[INIT915 1,119]

HIPPA generally does not apply to dead people. Once you die, you lose a lot of your rights.

In most juristicitions, if not all, death records are public record. The ME's office releases that info as a matter of record.

Actually, you keep your HIPPA protections fro 50 years following the date of your death. But the second part is correct, in many, but not all states, Death Certificates are public.

[Bababoosky 24]

You can do a FOIL for any cause of death, aside from an active homicide investigation. Death Certificates are filed in the local town offices, like birth certificates.

[INIT915 1,119]

You can do a FOIL for any cause of death, aside from an active homicide investigation. Death Certificates are filed in the local town offices, like birth certificates.

You cannot FOIL a NYS Death Certificate. They are not public records and you must meet certain criteria to obtain them.

[Bnechis 3,961]

One key to HIPPA (The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) is that if you are not billing health insurance (including Medicare & Medicaid) you are not covered under this. I do not believe that ME's bill insurance for his services

[res6cue 67]

It's HIPAA, not HIPPA. I can't believe people who work in EMS/health care still can't even get it right after so many years...