ABA Family Legal Guide

Health-Care Law

Patients' Rights

Confidentiality and Privacy

What can I do if I believe my rights to privacy have been violated?

If you think your private information has been disclosed, you may file a formal complaint regarding the privacy practices of a covered health plan or provider within 180 days of when you knew the act occurred. You can complain directly to the covered provider or health plan, or to the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), which is charged with investigating complaints and enforcing the privacy regulation. Information about filing complaints should be included in each covered entity's notice of privacy practices. You can find more information about filing a complaint at the OCR website at www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa or by calling the HIPAA toll-free number, 866-627-7748.