You can ask Blue Shield to limit use or sharing for treatment, payment or operations, but it need not agree
You can ask Blue Shield not to use or share certain health information to carry out treatment, payment, or its operations. Blue Shield says it is not required to agree to your request, and that it may say "no" if agreeing would affect your care.
Supporting quotations
Ask us to limit what we use or share
You can ask us not to use or share certain health information to carry out treatment, payment, or our operations.
We are not required to agree to your request, and we may say “no” if it would affect your care.
Qualifications & exceptions
Blue Shield is not required to agree to the request.
Blue Shield may refuse if the request would affect your care.
Use & Processing · Permission or license
Blue Shield typically uses or shares your health information without written authorization in four ways
Under the heading about its uses and disclosures, Blue Shield says it typically uses or shares your health information without your written authorization in the following ways. The four described are helping manage your treatment, running its organization, paying for your health services, and administering your plan.
Supporting quotations
We typically use or share your health information without your written authorization in the following ways.
Qualifications & exceptions
Described as how Blue Shield "typically" uses or shares information; other uses appear later in the notice.
Use & Processing · Permission or license
Blue Shield may use and disclose your information to run its organization, including underwriting but not genetic data
Blue Shield says it can use and disclose your information to run its organization and contact you when necessary, including for underwriting purposes. It says it will not use or disclose PHI that is genetic information for underwriting, which it notes federal law prohibits. The example given is using health information about you to develop better services for you.
Supporting quotations
Run our organization
We can use and disclose your information to run our organization and contact you when necessary, including for underwriting purposes.
Please note, however, that we will not use or disclose your PHI that is genetic information for underwriting purposes – doing so is prohibited by federal law.
Example: We use health information about you to develop better services for you.
Qualifications & exceptions
Exception: PHI that is genetic information will not be used or disclosed for underwriting purposes.
The notice says doing so is prohibited by federal law.
Not stated here
The notice does not say what "run our organization" covers beyond the examples given.
Use & Processing · Restriction or exception
Blue Shield will not use or disclose genetic information in your PHI for underwriting
Blue Shield says it will not use or disclose your PHI that is genetic information for underwriting purposes and notes that federal law prohibits doing so. This limits the permission to use information for underwriting when running its organization.
Supporting quotations
Please note, however, that we will not use or disclose your PHI that is genetic information for underwriting purposes – doing so is prohibited by federal law.
Blue Shield may use or share health information for research, but only as the law allows
Blue Shield says it may use or share your health information for health research, but only according to, and as allowed by, law.
Supporting quotations
Do research
We may use or share your health information for health research, but only according to, and as allowed by, law.
Qualifications & exceptions
Only according to, and as allowed by, law.
Not stated here
The legal conditions for research use are not described.
Use & Processing · Restriction or exception
Otherwise Blue Shield needs your written authorization; it says it will not use PHI for marketing or sell it without one
Blue Shield says that other than for the purposes described above it must obtain your written authorization to use or disclose your PHI. For example, it says it will not use your PHI for marketing, sell your PHI, or use or disclose substance use disorder records or psychotherapy notes without your written authorization, except as expressly allowed by law.
Supporting quotations
Other than for the purposes described above, we must obtain your written authorization to use or disclose your PHI. For example, we will not use your PHI for marketing purposes, sell your PHI, nor use or disclose substance use disorder records or psychotherapy notes without your written authorization, except as expressly allowed by law.
Qualifications & exceptions
The sentence ends "except as expressly allowed by law".
Not stated here
The sentence does not say whether the "except as expressly allowed by law" clause reaches marketing and sale or only the substance use disorder records and psychotherapy notes.
Earlier the notice says it "never" shares for marketing or sale without written permission, without that clause.
You may cancel a written authorization; the cancellation applies only to future uses and disclosures
You may cancel a written authorization you previously gave Blue Shield. When submitted to Blue Shield in writing, the cancellation applies to future uses and disclosures of your PHI. It does not affect uses or disclosures made earlier while your authorization was in effect.
Supporting quotations
You may cancel a written authorization that you previously gave us. When submitted to us in writing, the cancellation will apply to future uses and disclosures of your PHI. It will not affect uses or disclosures made previously, while your authorization was in effect.
Qualifications & exceptions
Cancellation must be submitted in writing.
Earlier uses and disclosures made while the authorization was in effect are not affected.
Use & Processing · Company commitment
Blue Shield will not use or share your information beyond this notice without your written okay, which you can withdraw
Blue Shield says it will not use or share your information other than as described in the notice unless you tell it that it can in writing. If you tell it that it can, you may change your mind at any time by letting it know in writing.
Supporting quotations
We will not use or share your information other than as described here unless you tell us we can in writing. If you tell us we can, you may change your mind at any time. Let us know in writing if you change your mind.
Qualifications & exceptions
Permission and any change of mind must be in writing.
Not stated here
The sentence does not mention the legal exceptions that other passages describe, such as disclosures required by law.