Corphealth -- Innovators in Behavioral Health Care

Questions & Answers about the HIPAA Privacy Rule

HIPAA Authorization to Release Information

What is HIPAA?

HIPAA stands for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, which was created to protect the privacy and confidentiality of your health information.

What is PHI?

PHI is short for Protected Health Information. PHI is individually identifiable information that is transmitted by electronic media or transmitted or maintained in any other form or medium.

PHI is "individually identifiable health information". This is information that also includes details such as an individual's address, gender, social security number, or date of birth. Insurance applications with medical histories, for example, contain individually identifiable health information.

What has Corphealth done to ensure my privacy?

Corphealth has done the following to comply with the privacy rule and ensure the confidentiality of your PHI:

Corphealth has appointed a HIPAA Privacy Officer and a HIPAA Security Officer to oversee the Privacy and Security programs.
Required each Corphealth employee to attend training about Corphealth's privacy policies.
Implemented policies and procedures to protect the privacy and confidentiality of our members including requiring the use of computer passwords and limiting access to information according to user needs, maintaing PHI in locked cabinets and behind locked doors, and shredding paperwork containing PHI.
Corphealth's in-house information technology department works to ensure that your personal health information is kept private and confidential on our website (www.corphealth.com). Our Internet privacy statement can be viewed here.

What is Corphealth's commitment to privacy?

Corphealth is committed to protecting confidential information about our customers, especially the confidential nature of our member's protected health information (PHI). We have complied with the requirements of HIPAA, as well as other state and federal laws aimed at safeguarding privacy. We have implemented confidentiality policies and procedures. These are designed to protect our member's privacy. We will continue to make this a priority.

What is the role of the Privacy Officer?

Corphealth's privacy officer is responsible for the oversight of all of Corphealth's healthcare privacy activities concerned with development, implementation, maintenance, dissemination and adherence to privacy. The privacy officer also reviews requests related to member's rights, approves authorizations for release of information and investigates and responds to any breaches of privacy.

What is the role of the Security Officer?

Corphealth's security officer is responsible for the oversight of all Corphealth's healthcare privacy activities concerned with securing ID and passwords for the Corphealth network system, appropriate module security for employees with access to our member's PHI and proper termination of ID and passwords upon the termination of an employee. Corphealth's security officer assists with ensuring that PHI data are encrypted and password protected before sending information electronically.

How will HIPAA affect Corphealth members?

The HIPAA privacy rules provide members with the certain rights related to their PHI. A copy of Corphealth's notice of privacy practices can be found on this website (HIPAA Privacy Brochure). These rights include the following:

Right to request restrictions on the use and disclosure of PHI
Right to receive confidential communications
Right to inspect and copy your PHI
Right to request amendments to your PHI
Right to receive an accounting of disclosures of your PHI

Requests related to these rights must be in writing. We will agree to reasonable requests. All requests must state the basis for the request, including an explanation of why the disclosure of all or part of the information will endanger you. Please make this request in writing and mail to the attention of:

Corphealth Privacy Official
1300 Summit Ave. #600
Fort Worth, TX 76102

How does Corphealth use and disclose my personal health information (PHI)?

We understand that your health information is personal and we are dedicated to protecting this information. The HIPAA privacy rules allow covered entities to use your PHI without first obtaining your written consent if the use is related to treatment, payment or healthcare operations. Below are ways that Corphealth may use and/or disclose personal health information:

To You- We must disclose your health information to you as listed in your individual rights related to your PHI as mentioned above.
Treatment- Your health information can be used or disclosed to provide, coordinate, or manage your health care and any related services. Your health information may be used to help you make decisions about your care. We may also disclose your information to others to provide you with medical treatment or services.
Payment- Your health information may be used, as needed, to make or obtain payment for your health care services. This may include certain activities that we undertake to approve or pay for your health care services, such as making a determination of eligibility, reviewing services to you for medical necessity, or claims processing activities. For example, we may coordinate with your health plan to process payments.
Healthcare Operations- We may use or disclose your health information on an as needed basis for Corphealth's day-to-day operations. These activities may include reviewing our performance to provide you with quality care. We may also disclose your health information as necessary to third parties who we contract with to provide administrative services. These third parties who perform services or functions for us are called business associates, and they may include our lawyers, auditors, accreditation services, consultants, and similar individuals or entities.
Plan Sponsors- Your medical information and the medical information of others enrolled in your group health plan, may be disclosed to your plan sponsor in order to perform plan administration functions. Please see your plan documents for a full description of the uses and disclosures the plan sponsor may make of your medical information in such circumstances.

When does Corphealth need an authorization to release my PHI?

Corpheath may use and disclose PHI without a member's specific authorization when such use is permitted or required by law, to report abuse or neglect, and for the purposes of treatment, payment and health care operations as explained above. Disclosures for any other purposes will require a signed authorization from you.

Who can I contact about questions I may have regarding my privacy?

Please feel free to contact the Corphealth Privacy Officer at 800-777-6330 with any of the following questions you may have regarding your private health information.

Questions you may have regarding your privacy
How to obtain access to your PHI
How to request restrictions on the use and disclosure of your PHI
How to request amendments to your PHI
How to request an accounting of disclosures of your PHI
Receive a paper copy of our Notice of Privacy Practices document