Which of the following is a valid consent authorizing the release of a dependent husband's medical record information to an insurance company?

• A. No consent necessary for member's own insurance company
• B. Verbal consent from the husband
• C. Written consent from husband
• D. Verbal consent from wife

Answer: (C)

Releasing someone’s medical information to an insurance company requires explicit permission from the person who owns the information. An adult individual controls access to his own records, and the authorization must be in writing. Verbal permission isn’t enough, and a spouse can’t sign on the patient’s behalf unless the patient has designated the spouse as his personal representative in writing. Therefore, the valid mechanism is a written consent provided by the husband himself, specifying what information may be disclosed, to whom, for what purpose, and with an expiration date, and it must be signed and dated. The option of no consent isn’t generally appropriate for a third-party release to an insurer, unless a narrow exception applies; but in standard practice, a written authorization from the patient is required. Verbal consent from either party does not meet the requirement.