freedom of information act tricare management activity health affairs 2009 data protection seminar...

Freedom of Information Act

TRICARE Management ActivityHEALTH AFFAIRS

2009 Data Protection Seminar

TMA Privacy Office

Freedom of Information Act

TRICARE Management ActivityHEALTH AFFAIRS

TRICARE Management ActivityHEALTH AFFAIRS

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Freedom of Information Act

Purpose

The purpose of this presentation is to identify Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) expectations and the consequences when expectations are not met, from both the requester and government points-of-view

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Freedom of Information Act

Objectives Upon completion of this presentation, you should be able to:

− Identify sources that define expectations

− Explain FOIA tolls when expectations are not met Cost categories

Tolls for not meeting expectations

Risks to TMA

− Identify ways to meet expectations and reduce the toll

− Relate FOIA expectations to your role

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Freedom of Information Act

Road to Compliance - Introduction Expectations defined

− FOIA of 1966

− Openness Promotes Effectiveness in our National (OPEN) Government Act of 2007

− DoD Directive 5400.07 “DoD Freedom of Information Act Program”, January 2, 2008

− DoD 5400.7-R “DoD Freedom of Information Act Program”, September 1998

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Freedom of Information Act

Rules of the Road Public’s road to expectations

− Right to know− Access to government business records, regardless of form− Informed on fee category and FOIA processing costs− Explanation of exemptions for withheld information − Timely and accurate compliance− Right to appeal determinations− Consistency of releases− Electronic records available on TRICARE Management Activity

(TMA) FOIA reading room− Privacy protection under FOIA

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Freedom of Information Act

Rules of the Road (continued)

Government’s road to expectations

− Requests made in writing

− Scope of the request reasonably defines records sought

− Willingness to pay search and reproduction fees

− Requested records possessed and controlled by agency

− Records exist, not created

− All records released under FOIA become public domain

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Freedom of Information Act

Public Toll Costs

Fee Types (Assessments)

Type of Charge

Commercial ( C)

Educational Institution

(E)

NonCommercial

ScientificInstitution

(S)

News Media(not for

commercial use)(N)

All Others (O)

Search all charges no charge no charge no charge > 2 hours

Review all charges no charge no charge no charge no charge

Duplication all charges >100 pages >100 pages >100 pages >100 pages

Waiver no yes yes yes yes

FeeReduction no yes yes yes yes

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Freedom of Information Act

Public Toll Costs (continued)

Delayed response times

Partial response to request

Records received not the same as records sought

Wrong assumptions

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Freedom of Information Act

Government Toll Costs

Non-compliance with FOIA statute

Waived fees under the OPEN Government Act of 2007

Risk of lawsuits

Litigation and attorney fees

Congressional letters

Reputation

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Freedom of Information Act

Reducing the Toll Your role in meeting expectations

− Change perceptions FOIA no longer “Other Duties as Assigned”

Obama: “In the face of doubt, openness prevails”

− Respond to FOIA Tasks Data

Signed Form SF472

Completed Form DD2086

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Freedom of Information Act

Summary You should now be able to:

− Identify sources that define expectations

− Explain FOIA tolls when expectations are not metCost categories

Tolls for not meeting expectations

Risks to TMA

− Identify ways to meet expectations and reduce the toll

− Relate FOIA expectations to your role

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Freedom of Information Act

Resources Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) of 1966 OPEN Government Act of 2007 DoDD 5400.07 “DoD Freedom of Information Act Program”,

January 2, 2008 DoD 5400.7-R “DoD Freedom of Information Act Program”,

September 1998 Subscribe to the TMA Privacy Office E-News at:

http://www.tricare.osd.mil/tmaprivacy/Mailing-List.cfm For subject matter questions: Privacymail@tma.osd.mil