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Verifying Identity and Authority of Requesting Party. Employees must take steps to verify the identity of individuals who request access to PHI . They must also verify the authority of any person to have access to PHI, if the identity or authority of such person is not known . Separate procedures are set forth below for verifying the identity and authority, depending on whether the request is made by the individual, a parent seeking access to the PHI of his or her minor child, a personal representative, or a public official seeking access . Request Made by Individual. When an individual requests access to his or her own PHI, the following steps should be followed : • Request a form of identification from the individual . Employees may rely on a valid driver ' s license, passport or other photo identification issued by a government agency. • Verify that the identification matches the identity of the individual requesting access to the PHI . If you have any doubts as to the validity or authenticity of the identification provided or the identity of the individual requesting access to the PHI, contact the Privacy Official . • Make a copy of the identification provided by the individual and file it with the individual' s designated record set . • If the individual requests PHI over the telephone , their social security number will be requested as a means of identification . • Disclosures must be documented in accordance with the procedure for " Documentation Requirements . " Request Made by Parent Seeking PHI of Minor Child. When a parent requests access to the PHI of the parent' s minor child, the following steps should be followed : • Seek verification of the person' s relationship with the child . Such verification may take the form of confirming enrollment of the child in the parent' s plan as a dependent . [Insert information about relevant state law , in some circumstances , access by a parent may be denied if state law forbids access . ] • Disclosures must be documented in accordance with the procedure "Documentation Requirements . " Request Made by Personal Representative. When a personal representative requests access to an individual' s PHI, the following steps should be followed : • Require a copy of appropriate documentation such as a valid power of attorney [ or other documentation-requirements may vary state-by- state] . If there are any questions about the validity of this document, seek review by the Privacy Official . • Make a copy of the documentation provided and file it with the individual ' s designated record set. • Disclosures must be documented in accordance with the procedure for " Documentation Requirements . " 23