Protecting Confidential Information

HHS agencies and divisions must guard confidential agency information, whether it is oral, written, electronically stored or transmitted in any other form. This includes:

  • Personally identifiable information of people who apply for benefits or receive benefits
  • HIPAA-protected health information
  • Sensitive personal information, such as name plus Social Security Number, health or financial account information
  • Information from the Internal Revenue Service, called "Federal Tax Information," under an agreement with the IRS
  • Information from the Social Security Administration, under an agreement with SSA
  • All non-public agency information, such as budget, expense, payment, other financial information and certain employee information
  • All privileged legal work products
  • All information designated as confidential under state law, federal law, by the agency or by the Texas Public Information Act
  • Non-public information an agency contractor has related to a duty it owes to the agency under an agreement

To learn more, email the HHS Privacy Division.