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

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

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that releasing someone’s protected health information to a third party requires the patient’s explicit, written authorization. For a dependent’s medical records to be shared with an insurance company, the person the records belong to must sign an authorization that specifies what is being disclosed, to whom, and for what purpose. Verbal consent isn’t enough, and a spouse cannot authorize on the husband’s behalf. No consent isn’t appropriate here because a third-party payer is involved, and the patient’s written permission is required. Written consent from the husband is the valid option because it provides a concrete, patient-specific authorization that can be reviewed and, if needed, revoked in writing.