HIPAA Accounting of Disclosures (45 CFR 164.528)
Individuals may request an accounting of disclosures of their PHI made by a covered entity in the prior six years, with a defined list of exclusions.
Primary source
45 CFR 164.528 — eCFR →https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-A/subchapter-C/part-164/subpart-E/section-164.528
Verified May 23, 2026 · This is the authoritative regulator URL. The summary below is a research aid; the linked source controls.
45 CFR 164.528 gives individuals the right to receive an accounting of certain disclosures of their PHI made by a covered entity or its business associates during the six years prior to the request. The first accounting in a 12-month period must be provided without charge.
The accounting must include the date, the recipient, a brief description of the PHI disclosed, and the purpose. Exclusions are extensive: disclosures for treatment, payment, and health care operations; to the individual; pursuant to authorization; for the facility directory; to family/friends involved in care; for national security; to correctional institutions; and incident-to disclosures.
The covered entity must act within 60 days of the request, with a single 30-day extension permitted. Records of the disclosures themselves must be retained for six years. HITECH proposed expanding the accounting to include electronic TPO disclosures, but the final rule on that change has never been published; the original Privacy Rule scope still controls.
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Related across the archive
- RegulationHIPAA Privacy Rule: General Rules for Uses and Disclosures (45 CFR 164.502)The general rules covered entities follow for any use or disclosure of protected health information, including the minimum necessary standard and treatment, payment, and operations exceptions.
- RegulationHIPAA Restriction Requests and Confidential Communications (45 CFR 164.522)Individuals may request restrictions on use or disclosure of PHI and may request communications by alternative means or at alternative locations.
- RegulationHIPAA Right of Access (45 CFR 164.524)Individuals have a right to inspect and obtain copies of their PHI in a designated record set, in the form and format requested when readily producible, within 30 days.
- ComplianceAccounting of Disclosures (45 CFR § 164.528): Tracker + ProcedureA 2026 HIPAA Accounting of Disclosures procedure citing 45 CFR § 164.528 — the six-year lookback, what to log, exclusions, and a copy-ready tracker template.
- ComplianceHIPAA Subpoena Response: Court Order vs Administrative Subpoena (45 CFR § 164.512)Court order, civil subpoena, grand-jury subpoena, DEA administrative demand — each triggers a different HIPAA response path. Identify the type before you produce a single record.
- SRAHIPAA Security Rule vs Privacy Rule: A Plain-English MapWhat the Security Rule at 45 CFR Part 164 Subpart C does, what the Privacy Rule at Subpart E does, where they overlap, and which rule the SRA actually answers to.
- GlossaryAccounting of DisclosuresThe HIPAA right of an individual to receive a list of disclosures of their PHI made by a covered entity over the prior six years.
- BillingBusiness Associate Agreement Checklist for Small PracticesA working checklist for small practices to identify which vendors need a Business Associate Agreement, what clauses the BAA must contain, and how to track them.
Last reviewed May 23, 2026 · Citation verified May 23, 2026
Research aid, not legal advice. This summary is an administrative research aid prepared by D3rx. It does not certify compliance, provide legal advice, replace counsel, or guarantee an audit outcome. For authoritative regulatory text follow the primary source link at the top of this page. The practice remains responsible for reviewing, adopting, and maintaining its compliance program.