#work wellness
- What information will my employer see?
- Is the program covered under the HIPAA privacy law?
- I don’t understand the privacy policy. Did I give up my HIPAA rights when I filled out my health assessment on the wellness site?
- My employer says it sees only group results. Does that guarantee privacy?
- How many other companies see my wellness data?
- What privacy policies do subcontractors and other third parties have to follow?
- Could somebody try to identify individuals in the group results shared by my wellness plan?
The company, hired to improve worker health and lower medical costs, could pass the data to “third party vendors acting on our behalf,” according to an authorization form. The information might be posted in areas “that are reviewable to the public.” It might also be “subject to re-disclosure” and “no longer protected by privacy law."Employees could refuse to give permission or opt not to take the screen, called a health risk assessment – but only if they paid an extra $300 a year for medical coverage.
