Final answer:
Patients can indeed request restrictions on the disclosure of their health information, but healthcare providers are not required to agree with all restrictions unless certain conditions are met, like full out-of-pocket payments with express restriction requests.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that a patient has the right to request that the information disclosed be limited is true, according to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). However, the hospital or healthcare provider is not obliged to agree to all such restrictions. There are certain circumstances under which a healthcare provider must comply with a request for restriction, but generally, they have discretion. If the patient pays out of pocket in full and requests that the information not be disclosed to their health plan, for example, the provider must comply.
Regarding the exception to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), it is true that medical records, such as those for government employees, may be excluded under privacy protections. Ethical dilemmas, such as balancing the patient's privacy rights against a partner's right to know about potential exposure to a sexually transmitted disease, are complex. Under HIPAA, healthcare providers generally cannot inform a person about a patient's illness without consent. Exceptions may exist, particularly if there is a serious and imminent threat to health, and state laws may vary.
True, patients have the right to request information disclosure limitations; however, healthcare providers are not mandated to comply with these restrictions unless specific conditions are met.