HB 523 -- Personal Health Information

Sponsor:  Zweifel

This bill prohibits the disclosure of nonpublic personal health
information under certain circumstances.  A person who in the
ordinary course of business, practice of a profession, or
rendering of a service creates, stores, receives, or furnishes
nonpublic personal health information may not disclose that
information in exchange for consideration to an affiliate or
other third party or if the purpose of the disclosure is to
market goods or services, to facilitate employment-related hiring
decisions, to be used in connection with the evaluation of an
existing or requested extension of credit, or to deliberately or
maliciously cause harm to the person to whom the information
pertains or the person who creates, stores, or receives the
information.  Persons who violate this provision are subject to
an administrative penalty of up to $500 for each violation, which
may be assessed by a state agency with primary regulatory
authority over a person or by the Attorney General.

The bill does not apply to information from or to consumer credit
reporting agencies or to information disclosed in connection with
a sale, merger, transfer, or exchange of a business or operating
unit.  The Director of the Department of Insurance has the sole
authority to enforce the provisions of the bill as it applies to
insurance companies and health maintenance organizations licensed
by the department.

Missouri House of Representatives
93rd General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated August 25, 2005 at 1:19 pm