Montana Title 50. Health and Safety § 50-16-1009. Confidentiality of records--notification of contacts--penalty for unlawful disclosure

(1) A person may not disclose or be compelled to disclose the identity of a subject of an HIV diagnostic test or the results of a test in a manner that permits identification of the subject of the test, except to the extent allowed under the Uniform Health Care Information Act, Title 50, chapter 16, part 5, the Government Health Care Information Act, Title 50, chapter 16, part 6, or applicable federal law.

(2) If a health care provider informs the subject of an HIV diagnostic test that the results are positive, the provider shall encourage the subject to notify persons who are potential contacts. If the subject is unable or unwilling to notify all contacts, the health care provider may ask the subject to disclose voluntarily the identities of the contacts and to authorize notification of those contacts by a health care provider. A notification may state only that the contact may have been exposed to HIV and may not include the time or place of possible exposure or the identity of the subject of the test.

(3) A person who discloses or compels another to disclose confidential health care information in violation of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $1,000 or imprisonment for 1 year, or both.