C-2200, Establishing Identity for Contact

Revision 09-4; Effective December 1, 2009

Keep all information HHSC has about an applicant/recipient or any individual on the applicant's/recipient's case confidential. Confidential information includes, but is not limited to, individually identifiable health information.

Before discussing or releasing information about an applicant/recipient or any individual on the applicant's/recipient's case, take steps to be reasonably sure the individual receiving the confidential information is either the applicant/recipient or an individual the applicant/recipient authorized to receive confidential information (for example, an attorney or personal representative).

 

C-2210 Telephone Contact

Revision 11-4; Effective December 1, 2011

Establish the identity of an individual who identifies himself/herself as an applicant/recipient using his/her knowledge of the applicant's/recipient's:

  • Social Security number;
  • date of birth;
  • other identifying information; or
  • call back to the individual.

Establish the identity of a personal representative by using the individual's knowledge of the applicant's/recipient's:

  • Social Security number;
  • date of birth;
  • other identifying information;
  • call back to the individual; or
  • the knowledge of the same information about the applicant's/recipient's representative.

Establish the identity of attorneys or legal representatives by asking the individual to provide Form H1003, Appointment of an Authorized Representative, completed and signed by the applicant/recipient.

Establish the identity of legislators or their staff by following regional procedures.

 

C-2220 In-Person Contact

Revision 12-3; Effective September 1, 2012

Establish the identity of the individual who presents himself/herself as an applicant/recipient or applicant's/recipient's representative at an HHSC office by:

  • driver's license;
  • date of birth;
  • Social Security number; or
  • other identifying information.

Establish the identity of other HHSC staff, federal agency staff, researchers or contractors by:

  • employee badge; or
  • government-issued identification card with a photograph.

Identify the need for other HHSC staff, federal staff, research staff or contractors to access confidential information through:

  • official correspondence or telephone call from state office or regional offices, or
  • contact with regional attorney.

Contact appropriate regional or state office staff when federal agency staff, contractors, researchers or other HHSC staff, etc., come to the office without prior notification or adequate identification and request permission to access HHSC records.

Note: Contractors cannot have access to IRS Federal Tax Information (FTI).

 

C-2230 Verification and Documentation

Revision 12-3; Effective September 1, 2012

If disclosing individually identifiable health information, document how you verified the identity of the person if contact is outside the interview.

Verify the identity of the person who contacts you with a request to disclose individually identifiable health information using sources such as:

  • valid driver's license or Department of Public Safety ID card;
  • birth certificate;
  • hospital or birth record;
  • adoption papers or records;
  • work or school ID card;
  • voter registration card;
  • wage stubs; and
  • U.S. passport.

As a condition for receiving federal taxpayer returns and return information from the IRS, HHSC is required pursuant to IRC 6103(p)(4) to establish and maintain, to the satisfaction of the IRS, safeguards designed to prevent unauthorized access, disclosure, and use of all returns and return information and to maintain the confidentiality of that information. The IRS security requirements for safeguarding IRS FTI are outlined in Publication 1075, Tax Information Security Guidelines for Federal, State and Local Agencies, Safeguards for Protecting Federal Tax Returns and Return Information.

MEPD Income Eligibility and Verification System (IEVS) specialists must independently verify the income and resource information from any of the data matches to ensure continuous financial eligibility for the MEPD programs.

For all case actions regarding the clearance of the IEVS match of IRS FTI, MEPD staff must not enter any IRS FTI into TIERS (including comments). Documentation on the TIERS income/resource screen is limited to the approved language indicated in the centralized process available on the Social Services Intranet on the Medicaid Eligibility for the Elderly and People with Disabilities home page at hhs.texas.gov/laws-regulations/handbooks/medicaid-elderly-people-disabilities-handbook.

 

C-2240 Alternate Means of Communication

Revision 09-4; Effective December 1, 2009

HHSC must accommodate an applicant's/recipient's reasonable request to receive communications by alternative means or at alternate locations.

The applicant/recipient must specify in writing the alternate mailing address or means of contact and include a statement that using the home mailing address or normal means of contact could endanger the applicant/recipient.