Letter from OC

[Lisa98]

I take it this is the response I want to get...No mention of anything getting deleted and whatnot.

 

Dear Lisa98,

This letter is in response to the certified letter received at our hospital dated 10/10/2006 expressing your concern of possible HIPPA privacy law violations from your understanding of these laws.

 

Per your request, I am notifying you that we are processing this request and concern. I wanted to let you know that I will be working with our attorneys to give you a formal response to these alleged violations, hopefully within the next 30 to 45 days.

 

Please look for a formal response from our attorney and/or our hospital in the coming weeks.

 

Respectfully,

Patient Financial Service Director

 

The reporting CA updates at the end of the month. So I may have to wait another week or so to see a change on my reports. What to make of this letter though?

[94B10]

The reporting CA updates at the end of the month. So I may have to wait another week or so to see a change on my reports. What to make of this letter though?

 

I don't know what to make of the letter, I am sure Whychat will chime in if what I am suggesting in regards to your next step is not correct.

 

You need to proceed with the INSTRUCTIONS FOR FOLLOW UP TO "HIPAA" LETTER TO ORIGINAL CREDITOR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER on Whychat's site. It is suggested that you do this once the OC has cashed the payment and you received the green card back.

[Lisa98]

I understand the Follow up to OC. I have not sent it because if I dispute with the CRA's again, it will add more time to the current investigation. Don't want to do that..

 

I left these collections out of the medical dispute letter. I had all the info I needed. I went straight to the HIPPA w/ insert "a". In response they sent the above letter. I don't want to drag an Attorney into it, just delete the TLs and problem is solved.

[Why Chat]

WAIT

 

I would guess that you will get a deletion. The OC is handling your HIPAA letter as required.

[Lisa98]

Thank you again WhyChat!

 

Thats what I was hoping. It wasn't the "this is our billing procedure" junk I got from another OC. Will it really take another month or so?

Edited October 22, 2006 by Lisa98

[Why Chat]

Thank you again WhyChat!

 

Thats what I was hoping. It wasn't the "this is our billing procedure" junk I got from another OC. Will it really take another month or so?

I doubt it will take that long.

If you have no change in your reports the next "cycle" (by Nov.7 ) then send the follow up letter to the OC with a copy of the follow up dispute. By then any follow up dispute letter will not interfere with your current dispute.

[Lisa98]

Wow!! You are a mind reader too.

[Lisa98]

Got this today from the same OC. I'm still waiting to hear back from 2 other OC's. I wasn't sure if this was the standard reply or not.

 

Dear Lisa98,

I am the Privacy Officer for OC. I am in receipt of your letter dated xx/xx/xxxx, regarding your complaint that the OC violated HIPPA by releasing certain information related to you outstanding accounts to the OC's billing agency. I have investigated you complaint as a HIPPA privacy breach with respect to you Protected Health Information(PHI). The OC takes all such matters very seriously and evaluates them consistent with OC policies and procedures. While the OC is sympathetic to your concerns, we believe that neither your privacy rights nor HIPPA was violated as a result of the OC's disclosure of such information to its billing agency. Under HIPPA, the OC is permitted to disclose such information as is minimally necessary to obtain payment for services rendered.

Thank you for bringing your concern to our attention. We hope you choose OC for future care for your family.

[Lisa98]

Pulled new TC report... Have seen some results. Yay!!!!!

 

TU deleted 4, verified 1 that EX/EQ deleted no prob. And EQ verified 2. I still have 4 disputes pending with the CRAs. And I have to see if the CA is finally going to send me something for these accts they keep verifying. Also awaiting some payments to update and those TLs to go poof, which can take some time from what I understand.

 

A little frustrated with the "verifieds". But pleased all in all. Time to get my redisputes ready to send out around Nov. 7th.

 

Thanks for the support!!

[94B10]

Pulled new TC report... Have seen some results. Yay!!!!!

 

Congrats on the success so far. Keep it up!

[Lisa98]

TU deleted 4, verified 1 that EX/EQ deleted no prob. And EQ verified 2.

 

In this situation, is it best to file FTC complaint and re-dispute if I get no response from the CA's who "have" these accts? If that is the case, can I also dispute accts(6) that I'm waiting for payment to update if they are not deleted?