By
Washington
Key functions performed by insurance agents and brokers in placing group health insurance are threatened by a health privacy rule proposed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, agent groups contend.
In statements filed with the department, agent groups say the proposed rule will not allow agents and brokers to obtain information necessary for such functions as amending, supplementing and replacing group health plans.
The groups noted that “to evaluate alternative and replacement benefit plans, group health plans must be able to obtain, use and share personally identifiable health information of plan enrollees. Prospective insurers cannot and will not price a group plan without specific information on the claims history of members of that plan.”
Agent groups filed two separate statements with HHS. One was a joint statement filed by the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America, and the National Association of Professional Insurance Agents.
The Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers filed the other statement. Although the statements were filed separately, they track each other.
Specifically, the agents are concerned about a provision in the proposed rule that says any covered entity may disclose protected health information to another covered entity for “health care operations” only if two conditions are met.