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The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
requires verification of the identity of the person requesting
Protected Health Information (PHI). HSP will comply with this requirement by asking
you the following prior to releasing any PHI:
- member name
- member ID number
- member date of birth
- member address
- member phone number
- provider tax id number (if a provider is calling)
Link for providers
Notice of Privacy Practices
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED, AND
HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION
EFFECTIVE APRIL 14, 2003
HEALTHY START PROGRAM
MASSHEALTH
As your health plan the Healthy Start Program sees information about your health and finances.
It is important to us that you know that MassHealth has always taken great
care to protect your privacy and will continue to do that. By law we are required to maintain
the privacy of your information, give you this notice and follow the terms of this notice.
MassHealth and UNICARE, our plan administrator, want you to know some of the things we do to
protect your information.
- We limit the number of people we show it to
We ask those people to protect it
- We let you check the information we have about you to make sure it is correct
Where do we get this information?
- From you when you fill out the application forms
From doctors, hospitals and labs that must be paid for the services they provide
From other companies we do business with such as our mental health provider network
- From agencies that keep track of your credit rating
Who do we show it to?
- Our employees at MassHealth and UNICARE so that we can pay your health
care providers for services you get, and to check on your eligibility for different health benefits
Our doctors and other providers
Other companies we do business with
People who have a legal right to see it such as:
- the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services when it needs to make sure your privacy is protected
- government agencies that give you benefits and services or for licensure, audit or other proceedings
- Agencies that oversee how we run our business such as those that evaluate the quality of health
care services you get
How do we protect the information we have about you?
Our employees and providers sign an agreement to keep it private
Other companies we do business with have written agreements with us to keep it private
We follow state and federal privacy laws
How might we use or share this information?
- To pay your health care providers for services you get
To make sure that your health care is covered by your benefit plan
- For example we would want to be sure that a service offered by a provider will be paid for by your
plan so that you know whether or not you will be charged for that service
To make sure your health care is medically necessary
With health care providers to coordinate treatment and services that you get
To demonstrate to government agencies that oversee our work that we are doing things the right way
To meet legal requirements
To the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to make sure your privacy is protected
To operate our programs
- For example to make sure you are receiving quality health care or to study ways to reduce costs
For research projects that meet privacy requirements
With other government agencies that give you benefits or services
- To prevent or respond to an immediate health emergency
Do we ever use this information for any other reason?
Unless you give us permission, we can not use this information for any other reason. If you do not give us
your written consent, we can not use it. You may cancel your permission at any time, as long as you do it in
writing. Note: we cannot take back any health information we used or shared when we had your permission. Your Rights
You have the right to:
- Write to us to get a copy of information we have about you. We have the right to charge you to cover
certain costs.
Ask us to change your health information if you think it is wrong or incomplete. You must tell us in
writing which health information you want us to change, and why. We may not be able to change the information
in certain circumstances. Information we didn't create can not be changed by us.
Ask us in writing to limit the information we share or limit how we use it. We may not be able to
grant this request.
Ask us to get in touch with you in some other way, if contacting you at the address or telephone number
we have for you would put you in danger. You must tell us in writing that you are in danger and exactly
where and how we should contact you.
- Request a list of when (on or after April 14, 2003) and with whom we shared your information, with limited
exceptions.
Complaints
If you think we have not protected your privacy, you can file a complaint with UNICARE, MassHealth or the federal government. Filing a complaint will not affect your benefits. Copies
You have the right to receive a paper copy of this notice. You can receive another copy of it at any time. Changes
We can make changes to this policy on your right to privacy. Any changes will apply to information we already
hold or receive in the future. We will let you know about the changes through a note mailed to your address
or a note posted on our website on the Internet. How can you reach us?
You can call HSP customer service at 1-888-488-9161.
If you want to file a complaint or request any of the rights in this policy, write to:
Healthy Start Program
PO Box 1977
Andover, MA 01810-0033
Attention: HIPAA Lead
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from UNICARE, or if you wish to contact MassHealth, write to:
MassHealth
Privacy and Security Office
600 Washington Street
Boston, MA 02111
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