Notice of Privacy Practice

This notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can access this information. Please review it carefully.

We understand the importance and sensitivity of your personal health information, and we have security in place to protect it. Access to your information is limited to those who need it to perform assigned tasks. We restrict access to work areas and use locking filing cabinets and password-protected computer systems. We follow all federal and state laws that govern the use of your health information. We use your health information in written, oral, and electronic formats (and allow others to use it) only as permitted by federal and state laws. These laws give you certain rights regarding your health information

We participate in organized healthcare arrangements (OHCAs) with other entities including but not limited to, Intermountain Healthcare entities, The Intermountain Life and Health Benefit Plan, and the University of Utah Medical Group (with respect to certain defined pediatric specialty services). These OHCA members share information for treatment, payment and healthcare operations to improve, manage, and coordinate your care.

Learn more about activities and see a current list of all OHCA members.

Your Health Information Rights

You may:

• Review and get a paper copy of your policy or claims records as allowed by law, usually within 30 days of your request (you can also ask us to provide a copy in electronic form, and we will do that if we can readily produce it).
• Request and be provided a paper copy of our current Notice of Privacy Practices or receive an electronic copy by email if you have agreed to receive an electronic copy.
• Ask us to contact you at a specific address or phone number if contacting you at your current address or phone number could endanger you.
• Request and receive an accounting, as specified by law, of certain situations when your information was shared without your consent.
• Receive a notice if Select Health or one of its Business Associates causes a breach of your unsecured information.
• Report a privacy concern and be assured that we will investigate your concern thoroughly, supporting you appropriately, and not retaliate against you in any way (in fact, Select Health will provide you with information on how to report any privacy concerns to the Select Health Privacy Coordinator, the Intermountain Corporate Privacy Office, or the Office for Civil Rights, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services).
• Request in writing other restrictions on the use of your health information or amendments to your health information if you think it is wrong, though we may not always be able to grant these requests.

How Your Health Information Is Used

Common Uses of Health Information

As we provide health insurance benefits, we will gather some of your health information. The law allows us to use or share this health information for the following purposes.

• To receive payment of health coverage premiums and to determine and fulfill our responsibility to provide you benefits. For example, to make coverage determinations, administer claims, and coordinate benefits with other coverage you may have.
• To improve the overall Intermountain system as well as to help better manage your care. For example, Intermountain has programs in place to manage the treatment of chronic conditions, such as diabetes or asthma, and as part of these programs, we share information with affiliated providers and Intermountain Healthcare to facilitate improved coordination of the care you may receive for these conditions.
• To support healthcare providers in providing treatment.
• To share in limited circumstances health information with your plan sponsor. However, Select Health will only do so if the plan sponsor specifically requests health information for the administration of your health plan and agrees in writing not to use your health information for employment-related actions or decisions.
• To identify health-related services that may be beneficial to your health and then contact you about these services.
• To request your support for improving healthcare by contributing to one of Intermountain Health’s charitable foundations. (If you don’t want to be contacted for this purpose or other fundraising communications, call Intermountain Health’s Privacy Office at 800 442-4845 to let us know).
• To improve our services to you by allowing companies with whom we contract, called “business associates,” to perform certain specialized work for us. The law requires these business associates to protect your health information and obey the same privacy laws that we do.
• To perform a very limited, specific type of health-related research, where the researcher keeps any patient-identifiable information safe and confidential. Intermountain reviews every research request to make sure your privacy is appropriately protected before sharing any health information.
• To law enforcement, but only as authorized by law (e.g., to investigate a crime against Select Health or any of its members). 

Required Uses of Health Information

The law sometimes requires us to share information for specific purposes, including the following:

• To the Department of Health to report communicable diseases, traumatic injuries, or birth defects, or for vital statistics, such as a baby’s birth.
• To a funeral director or an organ-donation agency when a patient dies, or to a medical examiner when appropriate to investigate a suspicious death.
• To state authorities to report child or elderly abuse.
• To law enforcement.
• To a correctional institution, if a member is an inmate, to ensure the correctional institution’s safety.
• To the Secret Service or NSA to protect, for example, the country or the President.
• To a medical device’s manufacturer, as required by the FDA, to monitor the safety of a medical device.
• To court officers, as required by law, in response to a court order or a valid subpoena.
• To governmental authorities to prevent serious threats to the public’s health or safety.
• To governmental agencies and other affected parties, to report a breach of health-information privacy.
• To a worker’s compensation program if a person is injured at work and claims benefits under that program.

Uses According to Your Requests

Your preferences matter. If you let us know how you want us to disclose your information in the following situation, we will follow your directions. You decide if you want us to share any health or payment information related to your care with your family members or friends. Please let us know what you want us to share. If you can’t tell us what health or payment information you want us to share, we may use our professional judgment to decide what to share with your family or friends for them to be able to help you.

Uses with Your Authorization

Any sharing of your health information, other than as explained above, requires your written authorization. For example, we will not use your health information unless you authorize us in writing to:

• share any of your health information with marketing companies.
• sell any of your health information.

You can change your mind at any time about sharing your health information. Simply notify us in writing. Please understand that we may not be able to get back health information that was shared before you changed your mind.

When enrolling for health insurance coverage on selecthealth.org you are giving permission for Select Health to collect the necessary PII to assist in enrolling you for coverage. Providing PII for the purposes of seeking health insurance coverage/enrollment is a voluntary submission of PII under the applicable law. If you do not provide all the necessary PII Select Health may not be able verify your eligibility for APTC and CSR subsidies or other enrollment options.

Select Health will collect and uses this information in accordance with the permissible functions outlined in Federal regulations and agreements between CMS. This information may be shared with the Federally Facilitated Marketplace to verify your eligibility for coverage.

Special Legal Protections For Certain Health Information

Select Health complies with federal laws that require extra protection for your health information if you receive treatment in an addiction treatment program, or from a psychotherapist who keeps notes on your therapy that are kept outside of your regular medical record.

Select Health is prohibited from using or disclosing genetic information for underwriting purposes.

If You Still Have Questions

Our Privacy Coordinator can help you with any questions you may have about the privacy of your health information. He can also address any privacy concerns you may have about your health information and can help you fll out any forms that are needed to exercise your privacy rights.

This privacy notice became effective on May 26, 2015. We may change this privacy notice at any time, and we may use new ways to protect your health information. We always post our current privacy notice on selecthealth.org.

You can request a copy of this notice by visiting our website or calling our Privacy Office at 801-442-7253.

This notice of privacy practices describes the practices of Select Health and of our employees and volunteers. (For more information about the specific privacy practices of Intermountain Health and its employees or volunteers working in its hospitals, clinics, doctors’ offices or service departments, please contact them directly by visiting intermountainhealthcare.org, or by calling Intermountain Health’s Privacy Office at 800-442-4845.)

Notice Regarding the Collection and Use of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) Data

Select Health collects Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) data to enhance the provision of healthcare services and to comply with applicable legal and regulatory requirements. This data collection is intended to facilitate the delivery of culturally competent and member-centered care, particularly for individuals within the LGBTQIA+ community.

Permissible Uses of SOGI Data:

• Healthcare Service Enhancement: SOGI data may be utilized to identify and address health disparities, develop targeted interventions, and improve care coordination and management programs.
• Resource Allocation and Planning: This data may inform the allocation of resources to communities and populations in need, as well as the planning of community health initiatives and preventive care programs.
• Member Engagement and Education: SOGI data may be used to personalize member communications, enhance health literacy, and provide tailored health education materials.
• Quality Improvement: This data may be employed to evaluate and improve the quality and effectiveness of healthcare services and to monitor and enhance population health management strategies.
• Compliance and Reporting: SOGI data may be used to meet regulatory requirements for data reporting and health equity initiatives, and to support public health reporting and collaboration efforts.

Prohibited Uses of SOGI Data:

• Non-Discrimination: Select Health shall not utilize SOGI data for discriminatory practices, including but not limited to, the denial of coverage or services based on SOGI or other protected characteristics.
• Pricing and Underwriting Restrictions: SOGI data shall not be used for the adjustment of premiums, deductibles, or other cost-sharing measures, nor shall it influence underwriting decisions in a manner that disadvantages specific populations.
• Prohibition of Non-Health Related Uses: Select Health shall not sell or share SOGI data with third parties for purposes unrelated to member health and wellness, nor shall it use such data for marketing purposes without explicit member consent.
• Data Privacy and Security: Select Health shall implement and maintain appropriate security measures to protect SOGI data from unauthorized access or breaches. The collection, storage, and use of SOGI data shall be conducted in accordance with applicable privacy laws and regulations, and with due regard for member consent and transparency.

Right to Refusal:

Members retain the right to decline to provide SOGI data. The provision of such data is voluntary. Select Health acknowledges and respects the individual's right to privacy and the decision to withhold such information.