CRDAMC Services
HIPAA Security & HIPAA Privacy Officer: (254) 288-8915
The Military Health System (MHS) Notice of Privacy Practices is provided as a requirement under the Privacy Rule of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996. Although the MHS has always had privacy and patient confidentiality standards in place to limit unauthorized access or disclosure of personal health information, the new privacy rule provides TRICARE beneficiaries with additional safeguards for ensuring their health information is adequately protected and is used by the MHS and TRICARE to provide quality patient care.
(NOTE: MHS Notice of Privacy Notice is effective in its entirety as of April 14, 2003)
The Notice explains how MHS may use and share your personal health information to carry out treatment, payment of services and health care operations. Other reasons permitted or required by law are also referred to in the Notice. The Notice explains your rights to read and control your protected health information and explains the responsibility MHS has to protect you, the beneficiary.
Personal health information may be about your past, present or future physical or mental health or condition and relates to health care services. It could include your age, ethnicity, or other personal statistics. You have the right to do the following:
- Read and copy your personal health information
- Ask for limits to be put on the use or sharing of your health information
- Ask that communications about your personal health information be done through ways that further protect your privacy
- Ask to have corrections made to your personal health information
- Get a listing of where and when your personal health information was shared
The Notice will be mailed to all TRICARE sponsors beginning in December 2002. During a future military treatment facility visit, you will be asked to sign a medical record jacket label acknowledging receipt of that Notice. This is so the MHS can make certain that all TRICARE beneficiaries have been informed of their right to the privacy of their personal health information. Your acknowledgment of receipt of the Notice in no way affects your eligibility to receive care. Privacy Officers are available at each MTF to address any questions or concerns.
If you do not receive a copy of the MHS Notice of Privacy Practices in the mail, you may view the MHS Notice of Privacy on line at www.tricare.mil/tma/privacy/hipaa-nopp.aspx
The MHS Notice of Privacy is available in the following languages/formats at www.tricare.mil/tma/privacy/hipaa-nopp.aspx. All languages in Adobe Acrobat PDF format.
- English
- Tagalog
- French
- German
- Italian
- Japanese
- Korean
- Portuguese
- Spanish
- Chinese
- Large Print
- Audio Summary
- Braille (Local military treatment facility HIPAA Privacy Officers may obtain Braille MHS Notices of Privacy Practices by contacting the Defense Health Agency HIPAA Privacy Officer)
You may contact your local MTF Privacy Officer or the Defense Health Agency (DHA) Privacy Officer for more information about the MHS Notice of Privacy. The TMA Privacy Officer may be contacted at
Defense Health Agency Information Management,
Technology and Reengineering Directorate
HIPAA Office
7700 Arlington Blvd Suite 5101
Falls Church, VA 22042-5101
by phone at 1-888-DOD-HIPA (1-888-363-4472 - Toll Free from the continental United States)/TTY 877-535-6778. You may also email questions to hipaamail@tma.osd.mil. For additional information regarding your privacy rights visit the TRICARE Web site
SOURCE: Information posted on the TRICARE Web Site and TRICARE HIPAA web site
Additional Resources
Mental Health Confidentiality For Soldiers
Though most of what is discussed is confidential, there are some exceptions that are important for you to understand. Some common examples of those limitations can be found below. A full list of exceptions is included in the paperwork given to you on your first visit. If you have questions about what you read at any time, ask a staff member.
Patient Rights & Responsibilities
Effective health care requires a partnership between patients, physicians and other healthcare professionals. Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center strives to provide a foundation for understanding and respecting the rights and responsibilities of patients.
Advance Medical Directives
Texas law allows you to make an advance directive concerning your medical care. That is, you may make your wish concerning medical treatment known before you actually need such care. The Texas Natural Death Act authorizes you to create a Directive to Physicians.
page last modified on: 6/3/2014