Friends - I'm seeing nothing but RED today!

I asked my Flex Plan administrator if this surgery (performed in MEX) would qualify for (Pre-Tax) flex dollars. It Took herforever to get back to me - and when she did she said yes - but here is the most horrible thing - she actually copied it to our HR director! And if there were EVER anyone on this earth that I did not want to know about it - it would be him.

He is truly a weasel. He weighs about 3 lbs. and is so proud of it that the last time I had to tour the plant with him (looking for safety problems) he actually got on our shipping scale and announced (so proudly) his weight. AND I know for a fact that he makes snide comments about fat people ("why don't they just stop eating") you know the type.

To continue - about this stupid woman at the insurance company - I fired

back an email to her and asked her what she didn't understand about the bold red type at the bottom of my email that said "this is highly confidential information". I also asked her if she had ever heard of HIPPA or HIPAA - (can't remember now the correct letter sequence) but you know it's the law that states that employees have the right to keep all of their health info private. I'm going to check out the statute tomorrow and I'll be calling her supervisor. I'm so angry (and I don't know why) but so terribly embarrassed. I may even call an attorney. I can't explain just how this makes me feel I have not heard from her yet - but I will and I'll keep you informed.

It's really too bad that others don't respect our wishes sometimes. I can certainly understand your anger and frustration.

As for the HR director, ignore him and don't give his snide comments an audience. People like him are very sad when you have to put others down in order to make yourself feel better. Do you realize how pitiful that is? Yeah, he's still a jerk and no he has no right to do it, but unfortunately there are more out there just like him. If he were pulling a stunt like the scale thing in front of me, I would simple shake my head and tell to grow up. I know it's not easy to ignore the ignorant and cruel remarks made by others. Actually,for me, I have sort of turned the tables. Whenever they behave like that, I feel slightly superior to them knowing that I don't have to do that to feel good about myself.

I hope you get some satisfaction about the big mouth, she really needs to be held accountable for her reckless actions.

Cindy

Heck, I know why you're mad! I'm mad for you! It's HIPAA, by the way. I would definately follow up. This is a great example of how people who have never been overweight don't understand the sensitivity to it. They figure it's just about fat, so why should they have to respect that! But if you;d e-amiled and said that you had a tumor (God forbid) or some trauma that needed tro be repaired, they wouldn't even consider telling anyone else. they really should know better. Once you've calmed down a little bit (I would be mad for months), use this an as opportunity to educate this person on why it was inappropriate to forward this message. Make it a learning opportunity for her so she doesn't do it to anyone else. I'm using FLEX dollars, too.

You know that I'm mad when I resort to name calling - it's NOT my style.

That said...

The Blabbermouth's response this a.m.:

"this was an oversight on my part as I followed our normal protocol of copying the employer on all correspondence. I am the employer contact and it is rare for employees to contact me directly. In the future contact customer service or work directly with your employer".

My employer TOLD me to contact her.

She did not give me her supervisor's name as I had requested - so I requested that again and also I told her that even though she acknowledged her "oversight" - she was not even compelled to apologize.

I'm not letting it go until I hear from her supervisor.

My company is self-insured - but Preferred One administers our plan - so I don't think everything needs to be known by my employer, does it?????

Imalene

Oh she sounds like a real tart, doesn't she! What a wench!

I hope that you can get things straightened around with her, and can finally speak with her supervisor. You deserve better than that, I say good for you to demand it!

SHAME ON HER!!!!

Imalene, you could get her in serious trouble if you were so inclined. This was a blatant violation of HIPAA's privacy protections and ignorance or "oversight" is no excuse. You should be very alert to ANY situations where this information getting out might have caused you any sort of damage. They should be afraid of you suing them, and I mean deeply afraid. I guarantee you she's had some kind of training on this score, so she can't claim ignorance.

Yep, I have to agree, HIPPA. If your HIPPA rights have been voilated, you have grounds to possibly seek legal advise. I am an nurse and I work for Allina. All the compliance training I have had to do because of the

no-no's Allina has pulled. I am quite aware of something that isn't right.

I agree I wouldn't stop and I'd look further into this if I were you.

Good luck.

Schel

I would raise he** with that company, and if your HR person says anything at all, get very firm with him on the subject as well.

What a crock. "Oh, I don't normally deal with you people, so, oh well".

I can't blame you for being upset and she definately broke HIPAA rules with your medical information. She needs to be put through HIPAA compliance training. If you can't get ahold of her supervisor shoot for talking to the president of the company. Believe me, I do medical billing, if I found out one of my employees did this to a patient they would be written up and I'd make them go through training again. HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act in case some don't know what that means) has strict guidelines and rules that all of us in the healthcare must follow...no IFs, ANDs or BUTs.

Stick up for yourself my friend. Definately don't let this slide because she'll do it to someone else as well. For her not to apologize either...I think shes praying you don't know what you're talking about or she's looking to leave her job anyway. What a heartless human being. ( Umm can ya tell this got me heated? hahaha)

It's HIPAA, and it should NOT be normal protocol to be copying ANYONE'S health information over to the employer. DO be sure to keep that email. You have in writing that it is her normal policy to violate the health information privacy act for EVERYONE who contacts her.

I worked in the HR department for a company who was self-insured and we were always being copied on medical and dental procedures being done on the employees. Because the money for these procedures comes directly from company coffers, somebody in benefits (which is usually part of HR) needs to know how much is being spent. Of course, you would hope that "somebody" would be tactful and trustworthy...

I remember thinking it was weird seeing everybody's private info (I was a young receptionist at the time)... I know HIPAA regs have changed in the past few years, but I'm not familiar with the particulars. I certainly hope it addresses this, because whether they had a legal right to see your info or not, this just isn't right.

Yep, Anne you're right. As the HR director, one does have access to decisions made on behalf of the policy holders WHICH COMPLETELY SUCKS but nothing much one can do about it. Now, if this person were to say something to other employees, then it becomes a violation of an employee's right to confidentiality regarding their healthcare.

Dear Imaline, Please protect yourself, I noticed that you did NOT name the insurance company, and you did NOT name the HR person and you did NOT name the employee at the insurance CO. Please do NOT. I think you have a 2-fer, You not only can you sue the Insurance Company, but you also can sue the individual that CC'd your HR director. If you name anyone, you can be sued for slander and jepordize you case. I was so grateful that you didnt list names. This is an open forum and anyone can read it so Just to be safe DO NOT NAME anyone here. I am so glad that you have this site to discuss this,, I wouldnt even tell people you work with any more than necessary. I think you have a very open and shut case as they say.