HIPAA and the Privacy Rule

1. What is HIPAA and the Privacy Rule?
2. What are your rights as a member with MCHCP?
3. What is an MCHCPid?
4. Why is MCHCP assigning ID numbers to you?
5. How can you request Protected Health Information (PHI) from MCHCP?

What is HIPAA and the Privacy Rule?

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), a federal law, was signed into law in 1996. HIPAA was created to benefit working families, and it includes important protections for employees. The law has numerous provisions that become effective on different dates.

On April 14, 2003, the privacy portion (the Privacy Rule) of HIPAA became effective. The privacy and security aspects of HIPAA are meant to provide protection for individuals. The Privacy Rule sets guidelines for the use of an individual’s protected health information (PHI). PHI refers to any piece of health related information containing individual identifiers, such as Social Security number, address, telephone number, etc.

The Privacy Rule requires that health plans provide you with a Notice of Privacy Practices. MCHCP’s notice describes our privacy practices and your rights in regard to the privacy of your PHI.

What are your rights as a member with MCHCP?

• To have MCHCP communicate with you in a certain way or at a certain location.
• To make a complaint about privacy issues.
• To authorize releases of your health information.
• To review or copy your health records.
• To request an amendment to your health information.
• To receive an accounting of disclosures of your health information.
• To request a restriction in how MCHCP discloses your health information.

What is an MCHCPid?
You have been assigned a unique number known as MCHCPid. Each MCHCP subscriber is mailed a wallet card bearing his/her MCHCPid and personal identification number (PIN). These numbers need to be kept confidential and are not to be shared with others. You are asked for these numbers when contacting MCHCP. Although you can change the PIN if you choose, you cannot change your MCHCPid.

Why is MCHCP assigning ID numbers to you?

1. To provide greater security for your personal information.
2. To significantly decrease the use of your Social Security number.
3. To expedite the identification process when you call our office.
4. To provide easy and secure access to myMCHCP.

If you lose or forget your PIN, contact MCHCP. Your PIN can be e-mailed to you if you have a current e-mail address. (Visit myMCHCP to update your e-mail address with MCHCP.) Otherwise, the PIN will be mailed to your home. Your MCHCPid and PIN cannot be provided over the phone. Your PIN remains the same each year unless you change it.


How can you request Protected Health Information (PHI) from MCHCP?
When you call MCHCP’s customer service line, you are required to provide your MCHCPid and PIN and/or answer identification question(s) to confirm your identity. Then, MCHCP may release the requested information to you. If you are not covered through MCHCP and call to request PHI on another individual, the MCHCP representative may not be able to assist you further without a signed, notarized release from the member. The Notice of Privacy Practices contains specifics on obtaining information.

MCHCP currently has four forms which apply to HIPAA. The form names and a brief explanation of each are listed here:

Authorization to Release Protected Health Information: Allows MCHCP to release specific health and medical information to a named party for a given condition or a limited time period.

Member Record Amendment/Correction: Allows you to request a correction or amendment be made to your file with MCHCP.

Request for Restriction on Use & Disclosure of Health Care Information and/or Confidential Communication: Allows you to request that certain information be restricted and allows you to request that MCHCP only communicate with you at a certain location or in a specific manner.

General Authorization to Release Protected Health Information to Member Designee: Allows you to authorize MCHCP to release information to a named individual.

All forms, except the Member Record Amendment/Correction form, must be notarized to be valid.