HIPAA Compliant Telehealth Programs

If you’ve been thinking about seeing a telehealth provider for the first time, you should make sure the provider you choose is HIPAA compliant. What is HIPAA compliance, why does it matter, and what telehealth providers are HIPAA compliant? Let’s talk about it. 

What is HIPAA Compliance?

HIPAA stands for the Health Insurance and Portability and Accountability Act. This law covers a lot of ground, but the biggest thing it covers is maintaining the privacy of your healthcare information. 

Healthcare providers can face major fines for violating your right to privacy in regard to your health information. In fact, in 2018, the federal Office for Civil Rights issued $28.7 million in fines for HIPAA violations. 

Healthcare companies, doctor’s offices and hospitals must provide HIPAA compliance training to all their employees, and a HIPAA compliance checklist helps ensure they’re following all the rules and regulations.

What is Telehealth and How Does HIPAA Apply?

Telehealth is the process of offering healthcare digitally, whether it’s through secure messaging or video and phone appointments. You might be concerned that technology would make it harder for telehealth companies to maintain your privacy, but the majority of HIPAA violations come from human error.

Still, it’s crucial for telehealth providers to put safeguards in place to protect your private health information. 

Why HIPAA Is Important and How it Protects You

Privacy is key in this day and age, and that privacy extends to your health information. HIPAA compliance helps protect your health information, which minimizes fraud. Additionally, when providers maintain HIPAA compliance, they are able to save money, which may trickle down to your costs, as well. 

Top 5 HIPAA Compliant Telehealth Programs

When you’re looking for a telehealth company, you should try to make sure they have HIPAA compliance certification and use HIPAA compliant software. Here are the top HIPAA compliant telehealth companies available in 2020. 

#1 – PlushCare

• Electronic medical records are kept in a private electronic health records system.
• Any web platform or database that PlushCare uses is also HIPAA compliant.
• PlushCare’s entire team has gone through extensive training to ensure that patient information is thoroughly protected.
• Appointments are as low as your regular insurance copay.
• For those without insurance, appointments cost $99. 
• Monthly membership is $14.99 and gives you unlimited access to top online doctors including unlimited messaging.

#2 – MDLive

• MDLive may create and distribute de-identified health information by removing all references to individually identifiable information.
• You have the right to ask for restrictions on the ways MDLive uses and discloses your health information for payment, treatment, and healthcare operations. You may also request that MDLive limits disclosures to people assisting your care. MDLive will consider your request, but they are not required to accept it.
• You have the right to request that you receive communications containing your protected health information from MDLive by alternative means or at alternative locations. For example, you may ask that MDLive only contact you at home or by mail.
• MDLive offers a variety of telehealth services including urgent care, dermatology, and behavioral health. 
• Urgent care services are $82 or less depending on your health insurance coverage. 

#3 – Teladoc

• Teladoc is permitted to use and disclose your personal health information for purposes of treatment, payment, and healthcare operations.
• Teladoc may use and disclose your personal health information in connection with its healthcare operations, like providing customer services and conducting quality review assessments. Teladoc may engage third parties to provide various services. If any third party must have access to your personal health information to perform its services, Teladoc will require that third party to enter an agreement that binds the third party to use and disclosure restrictions.
• Teladoc is permitted to use and disclose your personal health information upon your written authorization, to the extent such use or disclosure is consistent with your authorization. You may revoke any such authorization at any time.
• Teladoc offers a variety of services including everyday care, nutrition, and mental health. 
• Without insurance, Everyday Care costs $75. With insurance, appointments cost as little as $0, depending on your insurance plan.

#4 – LiveHealth Online

• LiveHealth Online is committed to protecting information about its customers, especially the confidential nature of their personal information.
• Personal information will not be collected from you without your knowledge. Providing personal information is always voluntary.
• LiveHealth Online will not share your Personal Information with any other third parties without your expressed permission, except as required by law.
• LiveHealth Online provides many services, including medical, allergy, psychology, and psychiatry.
• Medical visits are $59 or less per visit, depending on your health insurance coverage. 

#5 – Amwell

• Amwell is designed to be a private, secure, HIPAA-compliant tool that allows you to safely and confidentially consult with a doctor online.
• They feel it is of utmost importance to maintain patient privacy and keep information secure.
• Amwell has a variety of services including urgent care, breastfeeding support, nutrition counseling, and psychiatry.
• Urgent care visits cost $79 or less depending on your insurance plan. 

Give Telehealth a Try Today

If you’re interested in seeing an online doctor don’t hesitate to book an appointment. There are laws ensuring your private medical information is not shared and you can feel safe knowing that your privacy is protected.

At PlushCare we only employ doctors from the top 50 U.S. medical schools, so you can trust your in good hands. Appointments are available the same day and we’ve treated over 3,500 different medical conditions online! 97% of conditions are treated on the first visit.

Give it a try, and book your virtual doctor visit here.

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Read More About HIPAA Compliant Online Doctors

• How Does a Virtual Doctor Visit Work?
• How to Make the Most of Your Virtual Doctor Appointment
• Online Doctors, Your Options in Telehealth

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Sources

Becker’s Health IT. Record-breaking $28M in HIPAA settlements reached in 2018. Accessed on July 8, 2020 at https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/cybersecurity/record-breaking-28m-in-hipaa-settlements-reached-in-2018.html

Jot Form. 11 best HIPAA-compliant video conferencing software. Accessed on July 8, 2020 at https://www.jotform.com/blog/best-hipaa-compliant-video-conferencing-software/

OhMD. HIPAA Compliant Telehealth Platforms for practices. Accessed on July 8, 2020 at https://www.ohmd.com/hipaa-compliant-telehealth-platforms/

HIPAA Journal. HIPAA Compliance Checklist. Accessed on July 10, 2020 at https://www.hipaajournal.com/hipaa-compliance-checklist/

Datica. Why is HIPAA important? Accessed on July 10, 2020 at https://content.datica.com/why-is-hipaa-important