(a)(1) The Office has in its possession or under its control records containing the following types of information:

(i) Documentation of Federal service subject to the Civil Service Retirement System.

(ii) Documentation of service credit and refund claims made under the Civil Service Retirement System.

(iii) Retirement and death claims files, including documents supporting the retirement application, health benefits and life insurance eligibility, medical records supporting disability claims, and designations of beneficiaries.

(iv) Claims review and correspondence files pertaining to benefits under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.

(v) Suitability determination files on applicants for Federal employment found unsuitable for employment on medical grounds.

(vi) Documentation of claims made for life insurance and health benefits by annuitants under a Federal Government retirement system other than the Civil Service Retirement System.

(vii) Documentation of voluntary contributions made by eligible individuals.

(viii) Health Unit medical records for OPM employees.

(2) These records may be disclosed to the individual to whom the information pertains, or with prior written consent of the individual to any agency or other person, except that medical evidence about which a prudent physician would hesitate to inform the individual, will be disclosed only to a licensed physician designated in writing for that purpose by the individual or by his or her representative.

(3) Civil service retirement records will be disclosed consistent with the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), including, but not limited to, disclosures.

(i) Pursuant to a routine use promulgated for such records and printed in the Office's annual publication of notices of systems of records, except that;

(ii) A beneficiary designated in accordance with the provisions of the Civil Service Retirement law (5 U.S.C. 8342(b)) shall, during the lifetime of the designator, be disclosed to the designator only, at his or her signed, written request. Such beneficiary designations that may appear in records being disclosed must be removed before access to a record is permitted. If information pertaining to a designation of beneficiary is specifically asked for by a court of competent jurisdiction, it may be released to the court, but with a written notice that it is released under protest.

(4) Except as provided in paragraphs (a)(2) and (a)(3) of this section, the Office shall not disclose information from the files, records, reports, or other papers and documents pertaining to a claim filed with the Office, whether potential, pending, or adjudicated. This information is deemed privileged and confidential.

(b) On written request the Office shall return, to the person entitled to them, certificates of discharges, adoption papers, marriage certificates, decrees of divorce, letters testamentary or of administration, when they are no longer needed in the settlement of the claim. If papers returned constitute part of the material and essential evidence in a claim, the Office shall retain in the file photo or other copies of them or of the parts which appear to be of evidential value.