What are the privacy provisions within the Washington Patient Bill of Rights?
The Washington PBR imposes restrictions regarding the collection, use and sharing of members’ personal health information, which includes but isn’t limited to, name, address, phone number, Social Security number, subscriber number, status of claims and diagnosis, procedure and treatment descriptions. The law requires health insurance carriers to adopt policies and procedures that conform administrative, business and operational practices to protect a member’s right to privacy. Health insurance carriers must also provide information about their confidentiality policies and procedures to members. The law also makes health insurance carriers subject to the existing state Uniform Health Care Information Act, previously applicable only to healthcare providers. That law specifically outlines the limited categories of individuals to whom a health insurance carrier may disclose personal health information without a signed specific authorization form from the individual.
