People are entitled to privacy when it comes to their medical history. That is what the government decided when they signed HIPAA into law and gave Americans the right to protect their medical records. The impacts of this law are far-reaching, and people who work in the medical field are well-versed in the lengths they must go to ensure complete privacy for their patients.

Medical and insurance providers understand that they must safeguard patient information at every vulnerable juncture. And mail inherently poses a vulnerability. Whether you outsource your mail to a professional mail and print service, an invoice mailing service, or tackle your mail inhouse, HIPAA compliance is essential to anyone that handles the mailing of medical information.

Anyone who knows about HIPAA understands that the law is serious, and the penalties for non-adherence are stiff. So, while understanding the ins and outs of HIPAA is complex, it is critical for anyone in the medical field. Let’s lay out the basics and understand how it impacts handling mail containing protected patient information.

What is HIPAA?

HIPAA is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. It is a law that was passed in 1996 that ensures patients’ health information is private and safe. Providers had until 2003 to adopt policies and procedures that guarantee complete privacy for people’s medical information and records.

As a result of HIPAA, medical providers, insurance companies, and healthcare clearinghouses must meet specific standards for protecting health information. Across the board, everyone who handles medical information must adopt policies and procedures and take measures to safeguard patient privacy.

The law also extends to contractors who may work for medical providers, insurance companies, or clearinghouses. By law, billing companies, claims experts, administrators, lawyers, IT specialists, accountants, and (you guessed it) print and mail service providers must also adhere to HIPAA regulations.

What does HIPAA mean for Print and Mail?

HIPAA is broken down into a couple of areas to ensure complete privacy for medical records.

HIPAA Privacy: The privacy portion of the law establishes a standard for patient confidentiality. People with access to sensitive medical information must use protocols designed to guarantee medical information is not released without patient consent.

HIPAA Security: The security section of this law applies to the storage and transfer of data. People with access to health information must take prescribed steps to keep information safe and secure.

HIPAA Breach Notification: The final portion of the law creates a protocol for what happens if there is a breach in security. Patients must be informed if HIPAA has been violated or compromised.

Print and mail services must abide by all three areas of HIPAA standards when handling medical or insurance information. They must respect the privacy of the patients whose information they might have access to and provide reasonable security for that information. Each step of their process must adhere to HIPAA standards.

In a practical sense, to be HIPAA compliant, print and mail service must have a secure and protected process for transferring data. Once that data is in their hands, they must ensure that only HIPAA-trained employees can access that information. Finally, they need to be acquainted with the requirements for sending that sensitive information through the mail.

What Are the Standards for HIPAA Mail?

Mail that requires HIPAA standards can come in a variety of forms:

  • Medical Records
  • Testing Results
  • EOBs (explanation of benefits)
  • Invoices
  • Notices

Reputable services with experience with HIPAA mailing standards should have properly trained their employees in the nuances of HIPAA standards to adhere to those expectations.

Each type of mail sent from medical providers has slightly different expectations that a mail company must be familiar with—the level of security changes with the information the mail contains. For example, some information requires first-class postage, while more sensitive information might need to be sent by certified mail, with tracking and a signature from the recipient. While a provider may be able to communicate some things by postcard, anything containing personal information requires a sealed envelope (often without an address window).

This is why partnering with a print and mail service you trust is essential. HIPAA is nuanced. Anyone handling medical correspondence needs to understand the law completely to avoid being slapped with penalties for violating the law.

What are the Penalties for Non-Adherence to HIPAA Mail Standards?

HIPAA matters because people have a right to privacy, especially when it comes to their medical information. It is so important that the penalties for medical providers and their contractors who don’t meet these strict standards can be severe.

An investigation will begin when there is speculation that someone has violated HIPAA. The findings of that investigation will determine the penalties. The severity will depend on whether the violation was deemed intentional or not and the extent of the breach. While individuals who unknowingly violate HIPAA might pay a fine, the penalties increase with severity and evidence that medical information was obtained intentionally with ill will. For individuals, penalties can be up to $250,000 and jail time, while companies may be hit with fines over a million dollars.

Why Should I Hire a Professional Print and Mail Service to Handle HIPAA Mail?

With the serious nature of HIPAA, many providers find that hiring out their HIPAA mail to a professional company is the safest way to protect themselves from HIPAA violations. There is so much to know about HIPAA, and partnering with an expert decreases the chances that a mistake will happen. A print and mail company with extensive experience and knowledge of HIPAA and its security requirements is a valuable asset to any business that handles sensitive patient information.