HIPAA Q&A: Returned mail with patient records
HIPAA Weekly Advisor, November 16, 2009
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Q. Returned mail for a patient account is sent to a business associate (BA), who looks for another address or guarantor. Sometimes, the people at the new address the BA gives us call to say they don’t have children or a medical bill with us. Is this a HIPAA privacy breach?
A. You should take appropriate steps to ensure that a new address is correct before sending PHI to that address. The BA should try to contact the patient or guarantor by telephone, using telephone numbers you have on file, to determine the correct mailing address.
Editor’s note: Mary D. Brandt, MBA, RHIA, CHE, CHPS, answered this question. This is not legal advice. Consult your attorney regarding legal matters.
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