Public Resources Code 3160 (2013; amended by SB 861, 2014)

(j)(10) The Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources in the Department of Conservation shall develop a timely procedure to provide trade secret information in the following circumstances: (A) To an officer or employee of the division, the state, local governments, local air districts, or the United States, in connection with the official duties of that officer or employee, to a health professional under any law for the protection of health, or to contractors with the division or other government entities and their employees if, in the opinion of the division, disclosure is necessary and required for the satisfactory performance of a contract, for performance of work, or to protect health and safety. (B) To a health professional in the event of an emergency or to diagnose or treat a patient. (C) In order to protect public health, to any health professional, toxicologist, or epidemiologist who is employed in the field of public health and who provides a written statement of need. The written statement of need shall include the public health purposes of the disclosure and shall explain the reason the disclosure of the specific chemical and its concentration is required. (D) A health professional may share trade secret information about well stimulation treatments with other persons as may be professionally necessary, in order to diagnose or treat a patient, including, but not limited to, the patient and other health professionals, subject to state and federal laws restricting disclosure of medical records including the Confidentiality of Medical Information Act.

Health & Safety Code 120440(c) (2008)

Unless a refusal to permit record sharing is made under (e), health care providers and other agencies may disclose information specified in (c)(1) to (9) from the patient's medical record or the client's record to local health departments operating immunization information systems and to the State Department of Health Services. Local health departments and the State Department may disclose (c)(1) to (9) information to each other and to requesting health care providers taking care of a particular patient. Information under (c)(1) to (6), (8), and (9) may be disclosed to the agencies and entities listed.

Health & Safety Code 121025(c) (Added by S.B. 1360, 1995; amended by multiple subsequent amendments, the latest of which was S.B. 249, 2013)

(c) Except as provided in paragraphs (1) to (3), inclusive, any disclosure authorized by subdivision (a) or (b) shall include only the information necessary for the purpose of that disclosure and shall be made only upon agreement that the information will be kept confidential and will not be further disclosed without written authorization, as described in subdivision (a). (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the following disclosures shall be authorized for the purpose of enhancing completeness of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and sexually transmitted disease coinfection reporting to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): (A) The local public health agency HIV surveillance staff may further disclose the information to the health care provider who provides HIV care to the HIV-positive person who is the subject of the record for the purpose of assisting in compliance with subdivision (a) of Section 121022. (B) Local public health agency tuberculosis control staff may further disclose the information to state public health agency tuberculosis control staff, who may further disclose the information, without disclosing patient identifying information, to the CDC, to the extent the information is requested by the CDC and permitted by subdivision (b), for purposes of the investigation, control, or surveillance of HIV and tuberculosis coinfections. (C) Local public health agency sexually transmitted disease control staff may further disclose the information to state public health agency sexually transmitted disease control staff, who may further disclose the information, without disclosing patient identifying information, to the CDC, to the extent it is requested by the CDC, and permitted by subdivision (b), for the purposes of the investigation, control, or surveillance of HIV and syphilis, gonorrhea, or chlamydia coinfection. (2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the following disclosures shall be authorized for the purpose of facilitating appropriate HIV/AIDS medical care and treatment: (A) State public health agency HIV surveillance staff, AIDS Drug Assistance Program staff, and care services staff may further disclose the information to local public health agency staff, who may further disclose the information to the HIV-positive person who is the subject of the record, or the health care provider who provides his or her HIV care, for the purpose of proactively offering and coordinating care and treatment services to him or her. (B) AIDS Drug Assistance Program staff and care services staff in the State Department of Public Health may further disclose the information directly to the HIV-positive person who is the subject of the record or the health care provider who provides his or her HIV care, for the purpose of proactively offering and coordinating care and treatment services to him or her. (C) Local public health agency staff may further disclose acquired or developed information to the HIV-positive person who is the subject of the record or the health care provider who provides his or her HIV care for the purpose of proactively offering and coordinating care and treatment services to him or her. (3) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, for the purpose of facilitating appropriate medical care and treatment of persons coinfected with HIV, tuberculosis, and syphilis, gonorrhea, or chlamydia, local public health agency sexually transmitted disease control and tuberculosis control staff may further disclose the information to state or local public health agency sexually transmitted disease control and tuberculosis control staff, the HIV-positive person who is the subject of the record, or the health care provider who provides his or her HIV, tuberculosis, and sexually transmitted disease care. (4) For the purposes of paragraphs (2) and (3), “staff” shall not include nongovernmental entities, but shall include state and local contracted employees who work within state and local public health departments. Exceptions: disclosures authorized (1) for the purpose of enhancing completeness of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and sexually transmitted disease coinfection reporting to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); (2) to facilitate appropriate HIV/AIDS medical care and treatment; (3) to facilitate appropriate medical care and treatment of persons coinfected with HIV, tuberculosis, and any STD(s), the local public health agency STD and tuberculosis control staff may further disclose the information to (i) the state or local public health agency staff, (ii) the HIV-positive person who is the subject of the record, or (iii) the health care provider who provides his or her HIV, tuberculosis, and sexually transmitted disease care.

Health & Safety Code 124119(d) (1998, amended 2006)

Data collected by the Newborn Hearing Screening tracking system obtained directly from the medical records of the newborn or infant shall be for the confidential use of the department and for other entities that the department determines are necessary to carry out the intent of the reporting and tracking system.

Welf. & Inst. Code 14100.2(f) (1980; amended by AB 2300, 2008)

The Department of Health Services may make rules and regulations governing the custody, use, and preservation of all records, papers, files, and communications pertaining to the administration of the laws relating to the Medi-Cal program, prepaid health plans, and adult day health care programs. The rules and regulations shall be binding on all departments, officials, and employees of the state, or of any political subdivision of the state and may provide for giving information to or exchanging information with various government and public or private agencies that are engaged in planning, providing, or securing such services for recipients or applicants; and for making case records available for research purposes, provided that that research will not result in the disclosure of the identity of applicants for or recipients of those services.

Welf. & Inst. Code 14124.2

The department may examine any of the books and records of applicants, providers, or person or entity providing goods or services and seeking reimbursement, to the extent necessary to carry out the listed provisions and regulations. Applicants, providers or others receiving or seeking reimbursement through the Medi-Cal program or other health care program must provide copies of records upon request by the department. The information provided shall only be used to investigate Medi-Cal fraud or abuse.

Welf. & Inst. Code 14124.89

Any party legally responsible for payment of a claim for a health care service or item must make records or information requested by the department available to the department upon certification that the individual is an applicant or recipient of Medi-Cal services. Information shall be limited to that necessary to determine whether health benefits have been or should have been claimed and paid for services or items pursuant to a health insurance policy or plan for which Medi-Cal would otherwise be available.

Welf. & Inst. Code 15632

In court and administrative proceedings, the physician-patient privilege and the psychotherapist-patient privilege do not apply to information reported regarding elder and dependent adult abuse.

Welf. & Inst. Code 15633.5

Information pertaining to elder or dependent adult abuse may be disclosed to an adult protective services investigator, a local law enforcement agency, the district attorney's office, the public guardian's office, the probate court, the bureau, or a Department of Consumer Affairs investigator.

Welf. & Inst. Code 15637

In court and administrative proceedings, the physician-patient privilege and the psychotherapist-patient privilege apply to the information required to be reported regarding elder and dependent adult abuse.