Protection of Personal Health Information

It is Northwestern University policy that University records containing personal employee information are to be held in confidence and safeguarded from unauthorized access. Only those individuals with a specific need to use personal information in the performance of their normal administrative duties are authorized to have access to and use such information. This policy includes personal health and dental information.

The recent federal law known as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requires employers to take steps to ensure that personal health information is properly protected. The law protects personal health information used with a number of University sponsored benefit plans including the:

• Health,
• Dental,
• Vision,
• Flexible Spending Account for Health Care,
• Long Term Care Plans,
• Faculty and Staff Assistance Program.

We have taken steps to ensure that the University meets or exceeds these new federal standards. One of these steps is to distribute a Notice of Privacy Practices. Additionally, since this new law also applies to personal health information maintained by health care providers, health care insurance companies, claims administrators and others, you may receive similar notices from them explaining their own policies. A copy of the University's Notice and Notices issued by our insurance companies may be obtained by download as listed below. This new law does not apply to the University sponsored disability, retirement, tuition and life insurance plans.

• Northwestern University Notice of Privacy Practices ( PDF)
• Blue Cross Health and Dental PPO Plans ( PDF)
• HMO Illinois HMO ( PDF)
• UniCare HMO ( PDF)
• First Commonwealth ( PDF)
• UnitedHealthcare Vision ( PDF)
• CNA - Long Term Care ( PDF)

HIPAA regulations specify that your personal health information may be used by your insurance company and physician, hospital, other providers and insurance companies for diagnostic and treatment purposes as well as for the payment for such services. Personal health information may also be used for health care operations such as determining eligibility, processing enrollment information, establishing premium amounts and submitting premium payments to the insurance companies. Such uses do not require your specific written authorization.

The Notice explains procedures for you to request copies of your health information maintained in your University benefit files. You may also request health information maintained by the insurance companies or claims administrators as well as to amend your records in some cases. These and other important new privacy rights you have under the Northwestern plans are explained on pages 7 to 12 of the notice.

If, after reading this notice, you still have any questions about the privacy policies followed by the Northwestern plans, please contact your insurance company or the Benefits Division at 847 491-7513. Should you like a Benefits Division staff member to release your benefit plan enrollment or claim information on your behalf to be shared with a family or other individual, you should submit a completed release of information authorization form ( PDF) to the Benefits Division.