Protect your PHI (protected health information)
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Stimulus Package) created changes to HIPAA Privacy and Security rules. Congress passed the act on February 17, 2009. The legislation created new tools for the aggressive enforcement of the HIPAA Privacy and Security rules. A violation of the HIPPA Privacy and Security rules could result in additional enforcement (in the form of penalties) against those who do not adhere to the law. You must be aware of how a professional administrator, doctor, employee or any other professional may violate your rights by speaking or displaying your protected health information (PHI) that others may hear or see.
This is your Protected Health Information (PHI)
Name
Address information
Telephone numbers
FAX numbers
Electronic mail addresses (email)
social security numbers
Medical record numbers, including a prescription number
Health plan beneficiary numbers (Member IDs)
Account numbers
Examples of wrongful disclosure of PHI include:
Placing PHI in the subject line of an e-mail
Failing to encrypt an e-mail containing PHI that is sent outside of the professional’s office
Asking you to leave PHI information in a common area
Asking you to yell out your PHI information in a physician’s waiting room
Keep an ear open in your doctor’s office, at a lab, hospital or radiology center. Mention the violation to those individuals that do violate your rights and if you want to take it a step further, report them to the authorities and fines may be enacted against them. http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/index.html
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Read Each Section on The Bill for Interpretation
A medical bill from a physician or a hospital admission looks different from a credit card or any other bill you may receive. The information contained on the physician and hospital bills is universal among similar type providers. The key fields tell you about your visit and what has happened since: Sender: A number of physicians and hospitals employ an outside medical billing company to bill and collect for the services they provide to patients; Statement date and payment due dates; Patient: This is sometimes different from who the statement is addressed to; Description of Services: The listed procedures and services the patient received on date of service; Explanation: Explains the reason the claim was not paid or was paid; and, The Amount Due: This is the difference between the charged amount, non-allowed amount negotiated by the health insurance carrier to pay for these services, amount paid by the insurance carrier and payments made by you. If you go to a participating provider the amount due from you should not include the non-allowed amount.
