My husband has switched jobs and we've opted to utilize my benefits instead of using his (which just got a lot more expensive). My company let me enroll, but won't pay anything out until they have HIPAA papers on my husband, my son, and me. I know that they're government papers, but who do I contact to make sure that the papers come through? Also, how long (on average) does it take for them to be sent?
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They are not government papers but it is a Federal law. Health Information and Portability Act. In order to obtain private information about someone’s health, the insurance company needs written approval from the the client as well as your husband’s physician to release any information. this is so
the insurance company can discover any pre-existing conditions that would be excluded under their policy. This may also apply to his place of employment too as there is a pecking order to pay for claims. If he has other insurance in place then they would become secondary payers. He has opted to not take the health insurance from work but your company must still find out and confirm this information. They will only release that information if the authorizations have been signed by your husband and agreements by your husband’s employers to sign a statement of confidentiality for the released documents.
Ask the insurance company to which individuals HIPAA release forms were sent and they will tell you the ones they have permission to tell you. Your husband may need to ask this too because some of the information may be released to him about his health care but not to you.
So in general terms…. they need signed releases from each party they need to obtain information from on your husband. Once all these have been received and the questions answered, they will add him to your policy. In the mean time…. ask will his coverage be “retroactive” to a particular date even if he does not show up in the system yet. That will be a better guideline as to what will be covered or if non-essential treatment should be postponed until coverage is in place.
Remember too that if you would have needed prior-authorization for a service to be paid for on your behalf, then your husband would need to obtain the same prior authorization before obtaining medical treatment that can be turned in for re-imbursement
Usually it takes 2-3 weeks after you leave the old job – you’d contact the HR department at the old employer.
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