About TotalCare (HMO D-SNP) Access Your Health Information

You will have access to information about your medical and behavioral health claims online. You can also access your clinical information if it is available. This includes your:

• Name.
• Sex.
• Date of birth.
• Preferred language.
• Smoking status.
• Medications and medication allergies.
• Laboratory tests and results.
• Office visits and procedures.
• Care team members.
• Immunizations.

If you forget your username or password, you can recover your login information on our My Health Member Online Account page. Click the “Recover Account” tab, fill in the required information, and click “Submit.”

You can also change your password on that page. Click the “Change Password” tab, fill in your username and password, and then click “Log In.” On the lower part of the page, type your new password in the two fields, and then click “Change Password.”

If you are an Alliance or TotalCare member, your health information is kept private and secure. It is protected by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

When you give permission, the Alliance can share your health information with the app you have chosen. Your health information is shared in an encrypted form. This means that your information can only be understood and accessed by the app(s) with permission to access it.

Note: If you choose to share your information with an app, the information you share will be subject to the app’s privacy policy. Apps do not have to follow HIPAA rules to protect your information. This is why it is important to understand the privacy policy of the app you are using.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) protects health information handled by certain entities, known as covered entities, including:

• Health care providers (doctors, hospitals, clinics)
• Health plans (insurance companies, Medicare, Medicaid)
• Health care clearinghouses

HIPAA also applies to business associates that perform services for covered entities involving protected health information.

Not all organizations are covered by HIPAA. Apps, wellness programs or other services that are not health care providers or health plans may not follow HIPAA rules. This means your information may not have the same protections.

You get to decide if an app has permission to access your health information. If you choose to share your information with an app, that platform does not have to follow HIPAA laws for privacy and security. Your information may be shared by the app, according to the app’s privacy policy. That is why it is important to understand the privacy policy of the app before you agree to it.

If a privacy policy is not available, we recommend that you do not use the app. Do not share your health information with anyone that you do not trust.

At the Alliance, we care about protecting your health information. When you are choosing a health information app, we suggest that you check if the app is on the list of applications that follow the CARIN Code of Conduct. If an app follows the CARIN Code of Conduct, this means they have agreed to follow high standards for your privacy and security.

If you choose a health information app that follows the CARIN Code of Conduct, this means that the app will:

• Provide an easy-to-read privacy policy that explains how and when your information will be used and shared.
• Ask for your ongoing consent when collecting your personal information.
• Allow you to view any information about yourself that the app has access to.
• Let you know how to tell the app you do not want to give access to your personal information anymore.

What steps can I take to protect my health information?

Your health information is valuable and personal. Here are steps you can take to help protect your information and ensure it is used safely:

• Choose trusted applications carefully: Before sharing your health information with an app or online service, review how the app uses your data. Some apps may share data for marketing, research or other purposes. We also highly recommend that you choose only applications that follow the CARIN Code of Conduct.
• Understand security and privacy practices: Look for apps that clearly explain how they protect your data, such as encryption and secure storage. Avoid apps that do not provide clear privacy information.
• Control your data: Only share the information you are comfortable sharing, and understand the permissions you grant.
• Stay informed: Keep software and devices updated, and be cautious of sharing sensitive information over unsecured networks.
• Use strong passwords: You should create strong passwords for your Alliance user account and your health information app account. A strong password:
  • Is at least 12 characters.
  • Uses a combination of letters, numbers and symbols.
  • Is not the same as other passwords that you use.

Note for members under age 18:
To protect privacy and comply with California laws that safeguard confidential minor consent and sensitive services, online access to health information through our member portal and health information applications is limited to members aged 18 and older. Parents and guardians cannot access a child’s information through these tools. Alliance Member Services can help share information in another way that follows relevant member privacy rules.

If you have questions about accessing your health information, please contact TotalCare Member Services at 833-530-9015. If you need language assistance, we have a special telephone line to get an interpreter who speaks your language at no cost to you. For the Hearing or Speech Assistance Line, call 800-735-2929 (TTY: 711).

If you have a question about the health information app you are using, contact the makers of that app directly.