Answer

If you are acting as a medical provider, then under HIPAA the information can be disclosed to you. However, the employer in any event has a duty to at the very least inform you that contagious disease precautions should be taken with the patient, even if they do not disclose the disease because they are afraid of breaching the HIPAA laws and if they fail to do this and you contract something, but no matter what if you contract something from a patient, your sole recourse against the employer would be through a workers comp suit and not a regular civil claim.

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Expert:	PaulMJD
Pos. Feedback:	99.6 %
Accepts:	4510
Answered:	11/12/2009

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20+ Years of Employment Law Experience