Use and disclosure of your health information

The sections below describe the ways Priority Health uses and discloses your health information without your authorization. Your health information is not shared with anyone who does not have a "need to know" to perform one of the tasks below.

Treatment

Priority Health may use or disclose your health information to professionals who are treating you to coordinate and oversee your medical care. For example, we may disclose information about your prescription medications to your doctor so that s/he can better understand how to provide you with medical care.

Payment

Priority Health may use your health information or disclose it to third parties to collect premiums, establish eligibility or pay for your medical care. For example, we may use your health information when we receive a claim for payment. Your claim tells us what services you received and may include a diagnosis. We may also disclose this information to another insurer if you are covered under more than one health plan.

Health care operations

Priority Health may use or disclose your health information to third parties in order to assist in Priority Health's everyday work activities, such as looking at the quality of your care, carrying out utilization review, and conducting disease management programs. For example, your health information (along with other Priority Health members' information) may be used by Priority Health's staff to review the quality of care furnished by health care providers. Priority Health may also use and disclose your health information for underwriting, enrollment, and other activities related to creating, renewing, or replacing a benefits plan. Priority Health may not, however, use or disclose genetic information to decide whether we will give you coverage and the price of that coverage.

Please note that we do not destroy personal information about you when you terminate your coverage with us. It may be necessary to use and disclose this information for the purposes described above even after your coverage terminates, although policies and procedures will remain in place to protect against inappropriate use or disclosure.

To you and your personal representative

We may disclose your personal health information to you or your personal representatives (someone who has the legal right to act on your behalf).

To others involved in your care

We may, under certain circumstances, disclose to a member of your family, a relative, a close friend or any other person you identify, the personal health information directly relevant to that person's involvement in your health care or payment for health care. For example, we may discuss a claim decision with you in the presence of a friend or a relative, unless you object.

If you are not able to tell us your preference, for example if you are unconscious, we share your information if we believe it is in your best interest. We may also share your information when needed to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.

This also applies to the Priority Health Organized Health Care Arrangement (OHCA) between Priority Health and Corewell Health. Priority Health will share personal health information with Corewell Health for treatment, payment and health care operations purposes. Priority Health reserves the right to change participation in its OCHA by any individual or organization.