Department of Defense
INSTRUCTION INSTRUCTION
NUMBER 6025.18 NUMBER 6025.18
December 2, 2009 December 2, 2009
USD(P&R) USD(P&R)
SUBJECT: Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information in DoD Health Care
Programs
SUBJECT: Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information in DoD Health Care
Programs
References: See Enclosure References: See Enclosure
1. PURPOSE1. PURPOSE. This Instruction:
a. Reissues DoD Directive (DoDD) 6025.18 (Reference (a)) as a DoD Instruction in
accordance with the authority in DoD Directive 5124.02 (Reference (b)).
b. Establishes policy and assigns responsibilities for implementation of the standards for
privacy of individually identifiable health information in accordance with parts 160 and 164 of
title 45, Code of Federal Regulations (Reference (c)).
2. APPLICABILITY. This Instruction applies to OSD, the Military Departments, the Office of
the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Joint Staff, the Combatant Commands, the
Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Defense, the Defense Agencies, the DoD
Field Activities, and all other organizational entities within the Department of Defense (hereafter
referred to collectively as the “DoD Components”).
3. DEFINITIONS
. For the purposes of this Instruction, “health care entities” are defined as
DoD health plans (e.g., TRICARE), health care providers (e.g., medical treatment facilities), and
other covered entities that are subject to the authority in Reference (c).
4. POLICY. It is DoD policy that:
a. Health care entities shall comply with their obligations under this Instruction while
continuing to maintain compliance with section 552a of title 5, United States Code; DoDD
5400.11; and DoD 5400.11-R (References (d), (e), and (f)).
