Mid Dakota Clinic in Bismarck, N.D., has opted out of a Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota initiative because of patient privacy concerns, according to a Forum report.
Under the MediQHome initiative, BCBS of North Dakota partners with medical providers in an effort to manage patients more effectively. The program requires providers to share patient information with an outside health quality consultant, MDdatacor.
Mid Dakota Clinic said that to comply with HIPAA, all patients would need to give permission for their information to be sent to a third party. While the MediQHome contract specifies providers get "all appropriate" releases from patients, Jeff Neuberger, CEO of Mid Dakota Clinic, said BCBS executives claimed patient permission was not necessary, according to the report.
Denise Kolpack, a BCBS vice president, said the insurer has consistently explained there is no requirement to receive patient permission to participate in the initiative but that the contract includes language to allow participation even if providers have their own, stricter requirements for patient privacy, according to the report.
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Under the MediQHome initiative, BCBS of North Dakota partners with medical providers in an effort to manage patients more effectively. The program requires providers to share patient information with an outside health quality consultant, MDdatacor.
Mid Dakota Clinic said that to comply with HIPAA, all patients would need to give permission for their information to be sent to a third party. While the MediQHome contract specifies providers get "all appropriate" releases from patients, Jeff Neuberger, CEO of Mid Dakota Clinic, said BCBS executives claimed patient permission was not necessary, according to the report.
Denise Kolpack, a BCBS vice president, said the insurer has consistently explained there is no requirement to receive patient permission to participate in the initiative but that the contract includes language to allow participation even if providers have their own, stricter requirements for patient privacy, according to the report.
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