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HIPAA Notice

HIPAA Notice

Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company
First Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company
Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company of Texas

THIS NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES (“NOTICE”) DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.

This Notice applies to the Group Dental and Eye Care Lines of Business within Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company, First Reliance Life Insurance Company, and Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company of Texas (collectively “ Reliance Standard”). We are required to abide by the terms of this Notice as long as it remains in effect. We reserve the right to change the terms of this Notice as necessary and to make the new Notice effective for all personal health information maintained by us.

Reliance Standard Office Contact Information: To assert any of your rights with respect to this Notice, or to obtain an authorization form, please call 1-800-487-5553 and request the appropriate form. Please direct any questions about this Notice or requests for further information, or to file a complaint: The

Privacy Office, Attn. HIPAA Privacy, 1700 Market Street, Suite 1200, Philadelphia, PA 19103-3938

YOUR RIGHTS

You have the right to:

Get a copy of your claims records

  • You can ask to see or get a copy of your claims records we maintain about you. Ask us how to do this.
  • We will provide a copy or a summary of your claims records, usually within 30 days of your request. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee.
Correct your claims records
  • You can ask us to correct your claims records if you think they are incorrect or incomplete. Ask us how to do this.
  • We may say “no” to your request, but we’ll tell you why in writing within 60 days

Request confidential communication

You can ask us to contact you in a specific way (for example, home or office phone) or to send mail to a different address. We will consider all reasonable requests, and must say “yes” if you tell us you would be in danger if we do not.

Ask us to limit the information we share
  • You can ask us not to use or share certain health information for treatment, payment, or our operations.
  • We are not required to agree to your request, and we may say “no” if it would affect payment for your care.
Get a list of those with whom we’ve shared your information
  • You can ask for a list (accounting) of the times we’ve shared your health information for six years prior to the date you ask, who we shared it with, and why. We will include all the disclosures except for those about treatment, payment, and health care operations, and certain other disclosures (such as any you asked us to make).
  • We’ll provide one accounting a year for free but will charge a reasonable, cost-based fee if you ask for another one within 12 months.

Get a copy of this Privacy Notice

You can ask for a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive the Notice electronically. We will provide you with a paper copy promptly.

Choose someone to act for you

If you have given someone medical power of attorney or if someone is your legal guardian, that person can exercise your rights and make choices about your health information. We will make sure the person has this authority and can act for you before we take any action.

File a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated
  • You can complain if you feel we have violated your rights by contacting us using the contact information above.
  • You can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights by sending a letter to 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201, calling 1-877-696-6775, or visiting www.hhs.gov/ocr/ privacy/hipaa/complaints/. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

Your choices

For certain health information, you can tell us your choices about what we share . If you have a clear preference for how we share your information in the situations described below, talk to us. Tell us what you want us to do, and we will follow your instructions.
  • Answer coverage questions from your family and friends
    At your directions we will share information with your family, close friends, or others involved in payment for your care.
  • Share information in a disaster relief situation.

If you are not able to tell us your preference, for example if you are unconscious, we may go ahead and share your information if we believe it is in your best interest. We may also share your information when needed to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.

We will not share your personal information for marketing purposes or sell your personal information unless you give us your written permission to do so.

OUR USES AND DISCLOSURES

How do we typically use or share your health information?
We typically use or share your health information in the following ways.

Run our organization
  • We can use and disclose your information to run our organization and contact you when necessary.
  • We are not allowed to use genetic information to decide whether we will give you coverage and the price of that coverage.

Example: We use health information about you to develop better coverage and service offerings for our insured members, including you.

Pay for your health services
  • We can use and disclose your health information as we pay for your health services.

Example : We share information about you with other health benefit plans that you might also be covered by to coordinate payment for your health services.

Administer your health plan
  • We may disclose your health information to your health plan sponsor for plan administration.

Example: Your company contracts with us to provide a health plan, and we provide your company with certain statistics to explain the premiums we charge.

HOW ELSE CAN WE USE OR SHARE YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION?

We are allowed or required to share your information in other ways– usually in ways that contribute to the public good, such as public health and research. We have to meet many conditions in the law before we can share your information for these purposes. For more information see:

http://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-individuals/guidance-materials-for-consumers/index.html.

Help with public health and safety issues – We can share your health information in certain situations such as to help prevent disease or to report suspected abuse, neglect or domestic violence.

Comply with the law – We will share information about you if state or federal laws require it, including with the Department of Health and Human Services if it wants to see that we’re complying with federal privacy law.

Address workers’ compensation, law enforcement, and other government requests – We can share health information about you:
  • For workers’ compensation claims.
  • For law enforcement purposes or with a law enforcement official.
  • With health oversight agencies for activities authorized by law.

Respond to lawsuits and legal actions – We can share health information about you in response to a court or administrative order, or in response to a subpoena.

Our responsibilities
  • We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information.
  • We will let you know promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information.
  • We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in this Notice and give you a copy of it.|
  • We will not use or share your information other than as described here unless you tell us we can in writing. If you tell us we can, you may change your mind at any time. Let us know in writing if you change your mind.

For more information see: . www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/noticepp.html

This Revised Notice is effective 9/23/13.