# COMAR Title 10 — Maryland Department of Health

## Subtitle 25 — Maryland Health Care Commission

### Chapter 06 — Maryland Medical Care Data Base and Data Collection

#### Regulation .06 Protection of Confidential Information in Submissions.

*COMAR 10.25.06.06*

A. To assure that confidential records or information are protected, each reporting entity shall encrypt each of the following data elements in such a manner that each unique value for a data element produces an identical unique encrypted data element:

  (1) Patient or enrollee identifier; and

  (2) Internal subscriber contract number.

B. In order to maintain a consistent and unique identifier for each patient across providers, payors, and services, the Commission shall:

  (1) Provide selected data to the State-designed HIE for the creation and encryption of a Master Patient Index; and

  (2) Include Master Patient Index identifiers received from the State-designated HIE in each eligibility data report submitted under Regulation .11 of this chapter.

C. Each reporting entity shall maintain the security and preserve the confidentiality of the encrypted data.