112 auditing functions including fraud and abuse compliance programs, business planning and development, business management and general administrative activities. For example, the Fund may use information about your claims to refer you into a disease management program, a well-pregnancy program, project future benefit costs or audit the accuracy of its claims processing functions. Disclosure to the Fund’s Trustees. The Fund will also disclose PHI to the Plan Sponsor, the Board of Trustees of the National IAM Benefit Trust Fund, for purposes related to treatment, payment, and health care operations, and have amended the Trust Agreement to permit this use and disclosure as required by federal law. For example, we may disclose information to the Board of Trustees to allow them to decide an appeal or review a subrogation claim. When the Disclosure of your PHI Requires your Written Authorization Although the Fund does not routinely obtain psychotherapy notes, it must generally obtain your written authorization before the Fund will use or disclose psychotherapy notes about you. However, the Fund may use and disclose such notes when needed by the Fund to defend itself against litigation filed by you. Psychotherapy notes are separately filed notes about your conversations with your mental health professional during a counseling session. They do not include summary information about your mental health treatment. Disclosure to Other Benefit Plans. On certain occasions, it may be necessary to receive information from the Health Fund in order to process life insurance benefits, Weekly Disability Income Benefits or benefits from the Pension Fund. In those cases, we will require you to complete and submit the Fund’s authorization formto release such information in order to continue processing your benefits. Use or Disclosure of your PHI That Requires You Be Given an Opportunity to Agree or Disagree Before the Use or Release Disclosure of your PHI to family members, other relatives and your close personal friends is allowed under federal law if: • The information is directly relevant to the family or friend’s involvement with your care or payment for that care, and • You have either agreed to the disclosure or have been given an opportunity to object and have not objected. You should note that under certain circumstances described below, federal law allows the use and disclosure of your PHI without your consent, authorization or opportunity to object to such use or disclosure. Use or Disclosure of your PHI for Which Consent, Authorization or Opportunity to Object Is Not Required The Fund is allowed under federal law to use and disclose your PHI without your consent or authorization under the following circumstances: • When required by applicable law.