Disclosure of Information about Identifiable Beneficiaries

40 - Disclosure of Information about Identifiable Beneficiaries (Contractors) (Rev. 1, 09-11-02) Sections 3764 - 3769 set the guidelines for disclosure of information about a named beneficiary, to whom it may be disclosed, and the purposes for which it may be disclosed. In general, no information may be released except to the beneficiary (or the beneficiary's legal guardian) without the beneficiary's (or legal guardian's) explicit written authorization. In cases requiring the beneficiary's consent, the authorization may be in any form, but it must: • Be signed and dated; • Specify the individual, organizational unit, class of individuals or organizational units to which the information may be disclosed; • Specify the record(s), information, or type(s) of information which may be disclosed; and • Indicate whether the consent is a one-time or on-going release of records. A contractor will not honor a blanket consent to disclose all beneficiary records to unspecified individuals or organizational units. The disclosure of information about beneficiaries is governed by the provisions of § 1106 if the Social Security Act as implemented by Regulation No. 1, the Privacy Act, the FOI Act, and the DHHS Public Information Regulation.