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Race/Ethnicity, Language, Sexual Orientation and Social Needs Data

We may receive information related to your race, ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, and social needs from many sources, including from you and health care providers. 

 

Your race, ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, and social needs information are considered Protected Health Information (PHI) when we have it. PHI includes personal information that may identify you that is not public information. And it includes information about your health, medical conditions, prescriptions, and payment for health care products or services. 

 

PHI may include: 

 

  • Demographic data (like your name, address, race, ethnicity, language, sexual orientation) 

  • Health details (like a medical history) 

  • Test results (like a lab test) 

  • Insurance information (like your member ID) 

  • Social Needs (like financial insecurity, food insecurity, housing insecurity, access to transportation, interpersonal safety, barriers to achieving health, or any other relevant social need) 

  • Other information used to identify you or that is linked to your health care or health care coverage 

     

We protect this information. We use technical and physical safeguards designed to keep your information safe from unauthorized access, and other threats to its security. We comply with state and federal laws that apply to the security and confidentiality of your PHI. 

 

We use this information in an effort to:  

 

  • Make sure you get the care you need  

  • Create programs to improve health outcomes  

  • Create health education information  

  • Let the practitioners and providers know about your language and health care needs 

  • Address health care disparities 

  • Let member facing staff, practitioners and providers know about your pronouns 

 

We do not use this information to:  

 

  • Determine benefits  

  • Pay claims

  • Determine your cost or eligibility for benefits  

  • Discriminate against members for any reason  

  • Determine health care or administrative service availability or access  

  • Deny services, coverage, benefits or for underwriting purposes  

 

Reasons that we will need your written okay 

 

Except for what we explained above, we will ask for your okay before using or sharing your health information. For example, we will get your okay: 

 

  • For marketing reasons that have nothing to do with your health plan.

  • Before sharing any psychotherapy notes. 

  • For the sale of your health information. 

  • For other reasons as required by law.

Also of interest: