How to File a HIPAA Complaint

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, known as HIPAA, addresses how information regarding your health and health care can be shared. HIPAA allows your health information to be shared between your doctors, with your insurance company to coordinate payment and for other similar health-related uses. It does not allow your health care provider to share your information with people or entities not directly involved in your care, such as a current or potential employer, without your prior consent. If you feel a health care provider has violated HIPAA, you can file a complaint.

Instructions

• 1

  Visit www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/index.html. This website is designed to help you file a complaint against anyone who has violated your rights under HIPAA.

• 2

  Click on the "Health Information Privacy Complaint Form Package" link. This will open a form that has fields for your personal information and the details of the violation of your rights under HIPAA.

• 3

  Fill out the form completely. You can do this either directly on your computer or by printing the form and filling it out by hand. Do not miss any fields, as this can delay the processing of your complaint.

• 4

  Submit your completed Health Information Privacy Complaint Form to the Office for Civil Rights either by mail, by fax or online. To submit the form online, send an email to [email protected] with the form as an attachment. To submit the form by mail or fax, find the region where you live and the corresponding address. A list of regions and their addresses and fax numbers is included in the document you opened in Step 2. Regardless of how you send your completed form, be sure to mark it to the attention of the OCR Regional Manager.