Security Policy

Privacy Policy

NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

For your protection

SelectAccount is committed to providing you with best in class products and services.  As part of obtaining our products and services, we understand that you provide SelectAccount with personal, private information and we take this responsibility seriously. This notice is provided so that you will be aware of the measures we take to protect the privacy of your nonpublic personal information.  It also describes information we collect and how we use this information to conduct our business.  You should know that we are required by law to provide you this notice about our legal duties and privacy practices. We hope that this notice will clarify our responsibilities to you and provide you with a good understanding of your rights. This notice describes how your information may be used and disclosed, and how you can get access to this information. Please review this notice carefully.

How SelectAccount safeguards your protected health information

SelectAccount Compliance has the overall responsibility to implement and enforce privacy policies and procedures to protect your protected health information. You can be assured that every effort is taken to comply with federal and state laws — physically, electronically and procedurally — to safeguard your information. In some situations, where state laws provide greater protection for your privacy, we will follow the provisions of that state law. SelectAccount requires all of its employees, business associates, providers and vendors to adhere to federal and state privacy laws. Following are descriptions of how your protected health information is handled throughout our administration of your personal spending account.

Permitted handling of protected health information

At SelectAccount, your protected health information is handled in a number of different ways as we administer your personal spending account. The following examples show you the various uses we are permitted by law to make without your authorization:

Treatment. We can use your health information and share it with professionals who are treating you. This may include information about your visits with health care providers related to your personal spending account claims.

Payment. We can use and disclose your health information as we pay for your health services. This may include information about your financial transactions with us, such as your personal spending account information, your account balance, fees, payments, withdrawals, deposits and payment history.

Additional uses and disclosures. In certain situations, the law permits us to use or disclose your protected health information without your authorization. These situations include:

Required by law. We may use or disclose your protected health information, as we are required to do so by state or federal law, including disclosures to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Also, we are required to disclose your protected health information to you in accordance with the law.

Public health issues. We may disclose your protected health information to an authorized public health authority for public health activities in controlling disease, injury or disability. For example, we may disclose your protected health information to the childhood immunization registry.

Abuse or neglect. We may make disclosures to government authorities concerning abuse, neglect or domestic violence as required by law.

Health oversight activities. We may disclose your protected health information to a government agency authorized to conduct health care system or governmental procedures such as audits, examinations, investigations, inspections and licensure activity.

Legal proceedings. We may disclose your protected health information in the course of any legal proceeding, in response to a court order or administrative judge and, in certain cases, in response to a subpoena, discovery request or other lawful process.

Law enforcement. We may disclose your protected health information to law enforcement officials. For example, disclosures may be made in response to a warrant or subpoena or for the purpose of identifying or locating a suspect, witness or missing persons or to provide information concerning victims of crimes.

Coroners, medical examiners, funeral directors and organ donations. We may disclose your protected health information in certain instances to coroners and medical examiners during their investigations. We may also disclose protected health information to funeral directors so that they may carry out their duties. We may disclose protected health information to organizations that handle donations of organs, eyes or tissue and transplantations.

Research. We may disclose your protected health information to researchers only if certain established measures are taken to protect your privacy. For example, we may disclose to a teaching university to conduct medical research.

To prevent a serious threat to health or safety. We may disclose your protected health information to the extent necessary to avoid a serious and imminent threat to your health or safety or to the health or safety of others.

Military activity and national security. We may disclose your protected health information to armed forces personnel under certain circumstances, and to authorized federal officials for national security and intelligence activities.

Correctional institutions.  If you are an inmate, we may disclose your protected health information to your correctional facility to help provide you health care or to provide safety to you or others.

Workers’ compensation. We may disclose your protected health information as required by workers’ compensation laws.

Your employer. If your coverage is through your employer, we may disclose information to your employer to review group claims data or to conduct an audit. All information that could be used to identify specific participants is removed unless such identification is necessary.

Your Authorization. Any uses and disclosures not described in this notice, including the use and disclosure of protected health information for marketing purposes, and the sale of any protected health information, will require your written authorization except where permitted by law. Keep in mind that you may cancel your authorization in writing at any time.

Your rights. SelectAccount would like you to know that you have additional rights regarding your protected health information. Your additional rights are described below:

Your right to request restrictions. You have the right to request restrictions on the way we handle your protected health information for treatment, payment or health care operations as described in the “Permitted handling of protected health information” section of this notice. The law, however, does not require us to agree to these restrictions. If we do agree to a restriction, we will send you a written confirmation and will not use or disclose your protected health information in violation of that restriction. If we don’t agree, we will notify you in writing.

Your right to confidential communications. We will make every effort to accommodate reasonable requests to communicate with you about your protected health information at an alternative location. For our records, we need your request in writing. It is important that you understand that any payment or payment information may be sent to the original address in our records.

Your right to access. You have the right to receive (or request that a designated person receive), by written request, a copy of your protected health information that is contained in a “designated record set,” with some specified exceptions. For example, if your doctor determines that your records are sensitive, we may not give you access to your records. You also have the right to request an electronic copy of protected health information that is maintained electronically.

What is a Designated Record Set?

A Designated Record Set is a group of records used to administer your personal spending account, including:

• Enrollment
• Payment
• Claims adjudication

Your right to amend your protected health information. You have the right to ask us to amend any protected health information that is contained in a “designated record set.” For our records, your request for an amendment must be in writing. SelectAccount will not amend records in the following situations:

• SelectAccount does not have the records you want amended
• SelectAccount did not create the records that you want amended
• SelectAccount has determined that the records are accurate and complete
• The records have been compiled in anticipation of a civil, criminal or administrative action or proceeding

If you have requested an amendment under any of these situations, we will notify you in writing that we are denying your request. You have the right to file a written statement of disagreement with us, and we have the right to rebut that statement. Please note that changes of addresses are not required in writing.

Your right to information about certain disclosures. You have the right to request (in writing) information about any times we have disclosed your protected health information for any purpose other than the following exceptions:

• Treatment, payment, or health care operations as described in the “Permitted handling of protected health information” section of this notice
• Disclosures that you or your personal representative have authorized
• Certain other disclosures, such as disclosures for military, national security, and presidential protective services purposes.

Your right to receive notifications of breaches of protected health information. In the event of any unauthorized acquisition, use or disclosure of your unsecured protected health information (a “breach”), SelectAccount will notify you of such breach, unless there is a low probability that your protected health information has been compromised.

Future changes

Although SelectAccount follows the privacy practices described in this notice, you should know that under certain circumstances these practices could change in the future. For example, if privacy laws change, we will change our practices to comply with the law. Should this occur:

• We will post a new notice on our website (www.selectaccount.com) by the effective date of the new notice and will also provide a copy of the new notice, or information about the new notice and how to obtain the new notice, in our next annual mailing to members.
• The changes will apply to all protected health information we have in our possession, including any information created or received before we change the notice.

Questions & answers

Q: Will you give my protected health information to my family or others?

A. We will only share your protected health information with others if either of these apply: 1. You are present, in person or on the telephone, and give us permission to talk to the other person, or 2. You sign an authorization form. You should know, however, that state laws do not allow us to disclose certain information about minors – even to their parents.

Q: Who should I contact to get more information or to get an additional copy of this notice?

A: For additional information, questions about this Notice of Privacy Practices, or if you want another copy, please visit the SelectAccount Web site at www.int.selectaccount.com. You may also call us at 1-800-859-2144 with questions or to obtain forms.

Q: What should I do if I believe my privacy rights have been violated?

A: If you think that we may have violated your privacy rights, or you disagree with a decision we made about access to your protected health information, you may either:

1. Call us at the number listed above
2. File a written complaint with our privacy officer at the following address: SelectAccount Compliance, P.O. Box 64193, St. Paul, MN 55164-0193
3. Contact the Minnesota Department of Commerce at (651) 296-2488 or call toll free at 1-800-657-3602
4. Contact the Minnesota Department of Health at (651) 282-5600 or toll free 1-800-657-3916
5. Notify the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Send your complaint to: Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 233 N.Michigan Ave., Suite 240, Chicago,, IL 60601; Voice Phone (312) 886-2359 or Fax (312) 886-1807 or TDD (312) 353-5693
6. Call the HSS Voice Hotline number at 1-800-368-1019

Please be assured that we will not take retaliatory action against you if you file a complaint about our privacy practices either with us or HHS.

Legal Terms of Use

Please read the following legal terms and conditions relating to your use of our website carefully. By using our Web site, you agree to these Legal Terms and Conditions ("Legal Terms and Conditions"). We reserve the right, in our sole discretion, to change, modify, add or remove portions of these Legal Terms and Conditions at any time. Your use of our Web site following any such revisions will be deemed your acceptance of such revisions. You should periodically visit the Web site to review the current Legal Terms and Conditions to which you are bound. If you do not agree to these Legal Terms and Conditions, you should not use our Web Site and, if applicable, you should arrange to cancel your registered user account with us.