Privacy & HIPAA
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Notice of Privacy Policy and Practices
This notice tells how and why we collect personal information about our customers, how we handle it and with whom we share it. We respect the privacy of personal information and handle it securely. Our practices apply to current and former customers.
Why We Collect Personal Information
We collect personal information:
- to determine eligibility for health care coverage
- to provide benefits and pay claims
- to conduct our Care Management program
- to provide other information and services valuable to our customers
Personal Information We Collect from Customers
We ask people seeking benefits to provide certain information when they complete an enrollment form. This information may include, for example:
- Name, address and phone number
- Social Security Number
- Marital Status
- Birth Date
- Information about other coverage
Personal Information We Collect From Others
We may also receive personal information about our customers from others, such as:
- Employers, insurance agents and brokers
- Health care providers (doctors, clinics, hospitals)
- Other insurance companies that provide coverage to our customers
- Business partners (companies with whom we have arrangements to assist us in providing customer products and services)
How We Protect Personal Information
We use strict safeguards to protect the personal information of our customers. These safeguards include how we store personal information in work spaces and computers and how we transfer that information within our company and to our business partners. We only allow people who work for us or our business partners to see personal information when it is part of their job to provide products or services to our customers. These people are informed about the safeguards we have in place, our privacy policies, and the law that protects privacy.
When We Disclose Personal Information
We may share personal information we collect (as described above) within our family of companies (“affiliates”) as permitted by law. We do not share personal customer information outside of our affiliates except when the law allows or requires us to do so. For any other types of disclosures to third parties, we require a customer request or authorization. Some examples of persons to whom we disclose personal information include the following:
- business partners who help to administer customer benefits and services
- our attorneys, accountants and auditors who need the information to provide their services to us
- authorized representatives such as parents and guardians or people given permission by the customer
- health care providers, insurance agents and brokers, other insurers, consumer reporting agencies
- law enforcement and regulatory authorities
- companies that market our products and services or companies with whom we have joint marketing or disease management agreements.
Our customers can access the personal information we collect upon request. We may not share information that we collected for a lawsuit or legal claim. We try to keep customer information correct and current. If you believe that any personal information we have about you is not accurate, please contact United Behavioral Health (UBH).
Other Information
We may change our privacy policy and practices from time to time. We will send our current customers our privacy notice in writing at least once a year.
HIPAA Privacy Notices
United Behavioral Health (UBH) and its affiliate US Behavioral Health Plan California (USBHPC) administer mental health/substance abuse benefits and Employee Assistance Programs for a variety of employer groups and health insurance companies. United HealthCare Insurance Company (UHIC) writes some behavioral health insurance policies for which UBH administers benefits.
UHIC, UBH, and USBHPC are required by federal law (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) to provide enrollees with a notice describing their privacy practices. If you received one of the following privacy notices it is because UBH or USBHPC administers your employer's or health insurance company's mental health/substance abuse benefits and/or Employee Assistance Program. The precise notice you receive will depend upon the way your behavioral health benefits are administered.
HIPAA Notices of Privacy Practices
HIPAA Individual Rights Request Forms
Request for Access to Protected Health Information
Request for an Accounting of Non-Routine Disclosures of Protected Health Information
Request to Amend Protected Health Information
Request for Confidential Communication
Request to Revoke or Change Prior Confidential Communication Request
Request to Restrict Use and/or Disclosure of Protected Health Information
HIPAA Release of Information Forms
UBH Release of Information Form
USBHPC Release of Information Form
Please consult with your Customer Service Representative, Care Manager, Intake Counselor, EAP Counselor, or other UBH contact on where to mail or fax.
Social Security Number Protection Policy of OptumHealth and its Subsidiaries & Affiliates (Collectively "OptumHealth")
Protecting personal information is important to OptumHealth. It is the policy of OptumHealth to protect the confidentiality of Social Security numbers ("SSNs") that we receive or collect in the course of business. We secure the confidentiality of SSNs through various means, including physical, electronic, and administrative safeguards that are designed to protect against unauthorized access. It is our policy to limit access to SSNs to that which is lawful, and to prohibit unlawful disclosure of SSNs.
