Financial information privacy notice

Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield and its affiliates (including HMO Partners, Inc. d/b/a Health Advantage) understand how important it is to keep your private information just that — private. Because of the nature of our business, we must collect some personal information from our members, but we also are committed to maintaining, securing and protecting that information.

Customer Information

Arkansas Blue Cross and its affiliates only compile information necessary for us to provide the services that you, our member, request from us and to administer your business. We collect nonpublic personal financial information (defined as any information that can be tied back to a specific person and is gathered by any source that is not publicly available) about our members from:

• Applications for insurance coverage. The application includes information such as name, address, personal identifiers such as Social Security number, and medical information that you authorize us to collect.
• Payment history and related financial transactions from the purchase and use of our products.
• Information related to the fact that you have been or currently are a member.

Sharing of Information

Arkansas Blue Cross and its affiliates do not disclose, and do not wish to reserve the right to disclose, nonpublic personal information about you to our affiliates or other parties except as permitted or required by law. Examples of instances in which Arkansas Blue Cross and its affiliates may provide personally-identifiable information about your employees (including but not limited to name, postal and email addresses, telephone numbers, and related nonpublic financial information) to affiliates or other third parties are:

• To service or process products that your employees have requested.
• To provide information as permitted and required by law to accrediting agencies.
• To provide information to comply with federal, state or local laws in an administrative or judicial process.
• To provide information to a business associate (including one of our affiliated companies) working with Arkansas Blue Cross in providing services to your health plan and your employees (our members).

How We Protect Your Information

Arkansas Blue Cross and its affiliates use various security mechanisms to protect your personal data including electronic and physical measures as well as company policies that limit employee access to non-public personal financial information. Improper access and use of confidential information by an Arkansas Blue Cross employee can result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.

Disclosure of Privacy Notice

Arkansas Blue Cross and its affiliates recognize and respect the privacy concerns of potential, current and former customers. Arkansas Blue Cross and its affiliates are committed to safeguarding this information. This Financial Information Privacy Notice is provided for informational purposes and will be updated and distributed as required by law. It is also available on our website at arkansasbluecross.com or from our Customer Service Call Centers. Our Customer Service Call Centers are open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Central time, Monday through Friday.

• Arkansas Blue Cross — 800-238-8379
• Health Advantage — 800-843-1329