Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
This Web site provides information and guidance on HIPAA related
policies and procedures.
Overview:
HIPAA was originally designed to improve the portability of health
insurance coverage. Recent legislation (2002-2003) standardizes
health care transactions to impose privacy and security
requirements. Belmont University's Employee Welfare Benefit
Plan as well as the Student Health Clinic are covered by the new
HIPAA rules and regulations. Belmont University is covered by HIPAA
primarily because of our Employee Welfare Benefit Plan with respect
to individually identifiable health information or Protected Health
Information (PHI).
HIPAA privacy covers medical, dental, vision, and prescription
drug benefits, health care Flexible Spending Account and Employee
Assistance Program. It does not cover Workers' Compensation
laws or Family Medical Leave Act..
The Welfare Benefit Plan is administered by the Office of Human
Resources. HR has certain responsibilities:
- make sure medical information that identifies an employee is kept
private
- give each employee a notice of Belmont's legal duties and
privacy practices with respect to medical information.
- follow all the terms of the notice, including formalizing a
privacy policy, amending documents and vendor relationships,
establishing safeguards to protect PHI and training employees on
the new rules and their rights.
Belmont University may use and disclose PHI for:
Treatment - to a health care provider rendering treatment on
behalf of an employee. For example, advising an emergency room
doctor about an unconscious employee's prescription drug
history is allowed.
Payment - assisting with claims so healthcare treatment and
services can be paid according to the terms of the Plan. For
example, assisting with claims issues and communications between a
provider and an insurance carrier is allowed.
Operations - for administrative purposes such as eligibility
determination, enrolling and removal from the Plan, coordination of
benefits, other customer service activities, and in compliance with
a request from an authorized governmental agency or law enforcement
group.
