We will honor a valid consent document, authorizing the disclosure of medical records
information, if we receive the consent document within 90 days from the date of the
consenting individual’s signature. Use the earliest date stamped by any SSA component
as the date we received the consent document.
If more than 90 days has lapsed from the date of the signature and the date we received
the request, do not process the request. Return the consent document to the requester
with a letter explaining that the time frame within which we must receive the requested
information has expired. In your letter, ask the requester to send us a new consent
document if the consenting individual still wants us to release the requested information.
NOTE: If a consent includes a request for medical and non-medical records and is received
more than 90 days (but less than 1 year) after execution but no medical records exist,
honor the document as a valid request and disclose the non-medical record information.
For additional requirements regarding access to and disclosure of medical records
information, see GN 03340.035.