It is illegal to release any information, including the fact that was someone was a patient. May sound crazy, but that's the way HIPAA was written. It's illegal, and people have been fired, fined or imprisoned in a few cases just for looking at records that they had no reason to look at. You may want to look at this article on the matter from WND.
The confirmation that an individual was a patient or was not a patient is indeed covered by the statute," said Helen Oscislawski, a Princeton, N.J., attorney who represents hospitals.
So it's your belief that Kathleen Sebelius, the director of Health and Human Services, whom Obama personally selected and appointed, would fine Kapiolani Hospital for saying Obama was or was not born there because of a presumed HIPAA violation?? Honestly???