In what circumstance must a healthcare organization comply with a patient's request to restrict their health information?

A healthcare organization must comply with a patient's request to restrict their health information when the patient pays out of pocket for a service. This is in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations. Under HIPAA, patients have the right to request certain restrictions on the use and disclosure of their protected health information (PHI). Specifically, if a patient pays for a service entirely out of their own pocket, they can request that their insurance company not be informed about that service, allowing them greater control over their health information.

This right enhances patient privacy and provides a mechanism for patients to limit who has access to specific details of their healthcare, particularly when they prefer to keep certain treatments confidential from their insurer. Therefore, organizations are obligated to comply with such requests.