Protecting Your Privacy

The privacy of your nonpublic personal health and financial information (collectively referred to as “nonpublic personal information”) is of utmost importance to us at Dean Health Plan (DHP). This notice describes how we protect the confidentiality of the nonpublic personal information we receive regarding all members, including former members. The following are brief explanations of the manner in which we obtain, utilize and protect your nonpublic personal information.

What Types of Nonpublic Personal Information Does DHP Collect About You?

We collect a variety of nonpublic personal information needed to administer health insurance coverage and benefits. Some of the sources from which we gather nonpublic personal information about you include:

Information we receive directly or indirectly from you, your employer or benefits plan sponsor through applications, surveys or other forms, in writing, in person, by telephone or electronically. This information may include your name, address, Social Security number, date of birth, marital status, dependent information, employment information and medical history.
Information about your transactions with us, our affiliates, our providers, our agents and others, such as healthcare claims, medical history, eligibility information, payment information, service request, and appeal and grievance information
Information you may authorize us to collect from others

How Does DHP Protect This Information?

We limit the collection of nonpublic personal information to that which is necessary to administer our business, provide quality service and meet regulatory requirements.

We maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards that comply with federal regulations to protect your nonpublic personal information. These safeguards are reviewed regularly to ensure that your privacy is protected. We limit the internal use of nonpublic personal information about you whenever possible and ensure that only authorized staff with the need to know have access to it. We have policies to direct and procedures to limit the access of a member’s information only to those who have a need and legal right to see that information. We also have a Privacy Committee, which has overall responsibility for the training, oversight and enforcement of privacy policies and procedures to safeguard against inappropriate access, use and disclosure consistent with applicable law.

Only you will be able to access your own nonpublic personal information. The only way you can obtain access to someone else’s nonpublic personal information is by obtaining an authorization form from the individual who is the subject of the information.

How May DHP Use or Share Your Information?

We will not disclose your nonpublic personal information unless we are allowed or required by law to make the disclosure, or we obtain your written authorization to do so. Following is a list of categories of entities that we may make disclosures to as allowed or required by law:

We may disclose information, such as your policy coverage, premiums and other related transactions, to our affiliates or others that offer insurance and related services.
We may disclose information that we collect to service companies (both affiliates and nonaffiliates) that perform insurance functions on our behalf, such as third-party administrators, insurance agents, auditors, benefits consultants or care management specialists, for utilization management, quality improvement or other health plan activities as permitted by law.
We may disclose summary health information without names or other identifying data to the sponsor of your group health plan for purposes of administering benefits under the plan, soliciting premium bids from health insurers or modifying, amending or terminating the plan. We may also disclose to the plan sponsor information on whether you are participating in the health plan.
We may use and disclose your health information as required by any federal, state or local law.

Opting Out of Information Sharing or Gathering

From time to time, you may have received notices from other entities that provide you an opportunity to “opt out” of certain disclosures. The most common type of disclosure that applies to “opt outs” is the disclosure of personal information to a nonaffiliated company so that the company can market its products or services to you. As a health plan, many federal and state laws that we must comply with prohibit us from making these types of disclosures. Because we do not make disclosures that apply to “opt outs,” it is not necessary for you to complete an “opt out” form or take any action to restrict such disclosures.

Questions?

Call 800-279-1301 for a copy of our Notice of Privacy Practices. Or view it at www.deancare.com/privacy.asp.