Member Handbook - Los Angeles County Department of Health ...

Medi-Cal Member Handbook / Benefit Year 2006-2007Confidentiality:What are my privacy rights?L.A. Care and Community Health Plan needsome information about you so that we can giveyou good health care services. This informationincludes:You have the right to keep your medical recordsconfidential. That means that only people whoneed to see your records in order for you to getgood health care will see them. You can request acopy of our confidentiality policy. Just callCommunity Health Plan or L.A. Care. You weremailed a Notice of Privacy Practices (NOPP) withthis handbook. If you would like another copy ofthis information, call Community Health Plan orL.A. Care. The NOPP is also available on theL.A. Care website at www.lacare.org.Health information privacyWe want you to know the things that L.A. Careand Community Health Plan do to keep healthinformation about you and your family private.To keep health information about you and yourfamily private, L.A. Care and Community HealthPlan:• Use secure computer systems• Handle health information the same way,every time• Review the way health information is handled• Follow all laws about the privacy of healthinformationAll L.A. Care/Community Health Plan staff withaccess to your health information are trained onprivacy laws. They also follow L.A.Care/Community Health Plan rules on how totake care of your health information so it staysprivate. They even sign a note that promises theywill keep all health information private. L.A.Care/Community Health Plan does not give outhealth information to anyone or any group thatdoes not have a right to the information by law.• Name• Gender• Date of birth• Language you speak• Home address• Home or work telephone number• Employer and occupation• Whether you are married or single• Health historyWe may get this information from you or any ofthese other sources:• A parent, guardian, or conservator• Another health plan• Your doctor• Your application for the health care program• Your health records• The California Department of Health ServicesBefore L.A. Care or Community Health Plangives your health information to someone else oranother group, we need your approval in writing.There are times when we don’t have to get yourapproval in writing. This may happen when:• A court, arbitrator or similar agency needsyour health information• A subpoena or search warrant is requested• A coroner needs your health information• Your health information is needed by law35Community Health Plan Member Services Department toll-free 1-800-475-5550L.A. Care Health Plan Member Services Department toll-free 1-888-4LA-Care or 1-888-452-2273