People also give personal information to their doctors, which is shared with
insurance companies, pharmacies, researchers, and employers based on specific
regulations. The privacy of your health records is protected by federal law
(the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, also known as HIPAA),
which:
- Defines your rights over your health information
- Sets rules and limits on who is allowed to receive and/or see your health
information
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights
(1-800-369-1019)
is an excellent resource for complete details and advice about the HIPPA
ruling. Along with fact sheets and educational materials, the OCR also provides
a listing of resources for consumers, providers and advocates. If you believe
that a person, agency or organization covered under the HIPAA Privacy Rule
violated your health information privacy rights or committed another violation
of the Privacy Rule, you can file written complaints with OCR.
The Medical Information Bureau (MIB) is a data bank used by insurance companies
that collects and shares information. You can request a copy of your file to be
sure the information is accurate by writing to MIB, Inc., 50 Braintree Hill Park, Suite 400,
Braintree, MA 02184-8734, or call toll-free 1-866-692-6901 (TTY: 1-866-346-3642). There is
a fee to obtain a copy of your file.
For more information on how the federal government protects your personal health
information, visit the website of the Health Privacy Project
or My Health
Privacy
created by the National Consumers League.
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