HIPAA Privacy

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy

The United States Department of Health and Human Services established the HIPAA Privacy Regulation in December 2000, which then became effective on April 14, 2003. The Privacy Rule provides for the protection and privacy of individually identifiable health information and guards against misuse of such information.

The Department of Economic Security has determined that the Division of Developmental Disabilities and the Refugee Medical Assistance Program within the Division of Aging and Community Services, are covered by the HIPAA Privacy Rules. If you (or your child) are receiving services through one of these programs, please continue.

Notice of Privacy Practices

(Summaries in Farsi, Arabic, Somalian, Russian, Vietnamese, Serbo-Croatian and Spanish are available by contacting the Privacy Officer at the Refugee Medical Assistance Program - see contact information below)

HIPAA-Compliant Authorization

In order to obtain protected health information from a DES covered entity, you will need to use a HIPAA-compliant authorization. Such an authorization is available by clicking below.

Authorization

How to File a HIPAA Privacy Complaint

You may file a complaint if you believe any of the following has occurred:

• You/your child's protected health information was disclosed by DES workforce, or a business associate of DES, without your written authorization and no exception exists under the Privacy Rules (e.g., disclosure for treatment purposes);
• You were entitled to a Notice of Privacy Practices from a DES covered component and were not provided with one;
• Your request to DES or a Business Associate of DES to access protected health information was denied or was not provided in the time frame required by the Privacy Rules;
• A DES covered component failed to provide a required accounting of disclosures within the time frame required by the Privacy Rules;
• Your request to DES or a Business Associate of DES to amend protected health information to DES/the Business Associate created was denied;
• Your request to DES or a Business Associate of DES to restrict protected health information was denied;
• Your request to DES or a Business Associate of DES for communication in an alternative format or alternate location was denied;
• Any other Privacy violation.

To obtain a copy of the complaint form please click below or visit our Forms Library and view the Privacy Category. 

Although, DES would like an opportunity to work with you to resolve any concerns or complaints you may have regarding your rights under the Privacy Rules, you may choose to file a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights. The Office for Civil Rights can be contacted at U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 50 United Nations Plaza, Room 322, San Francisco, CA 94102.

Contact Information
If you have a question, concern, or complaint related to HIPAA Privacy at DES, please contact us.