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Aug 28, 2010, 01:14 PM
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Member Since: Aug 2007
Location: West of Tampa Bay, East of the Gulf of Mexico
Posts: 14,354
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From the site:
http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs8-med.htm
Quote:
C. The Medical Information Bureau (MIB) is a central database of medical information shared by insurance companies. Approximately 15 million Americans and Canadians are on file in the MIB's computers. About 600 insurance firms use the services of the MIB primarily to obtain information about life insurance and individual health insurance policy applicants.When you apply for life or health insurance as an individual, you are likely to be asked to provide information about your health. Sometimes you are required to be examined by a doctor and/or to have your blood and urine tested. If you have medical conditions that insurance companies consider significant, the insurance company will report that information to the MIB.The information contained in a typical MIB record is limited to codes for specific medical conditions and lifestyle choices. Examples include codes to indicate high blood pressure, asthma, diabetes, or depression. A code can signify participation in high-risk sports such as skydiving. A file would also include a code to indicate that the individual smokes cigarettes. The MIB uses 230 such codes.It's important to remember the following about the MIB:
The MIB is not subject to HIPAA.MIB files do not include the totality of one's medical records as held by your health care provider. Rather it consists of codes signifying certain health conditions.
A decision on whether to insure you is not supposed to be based solely on the MIB report.
The MIB is a consumer reporting agency subject to the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). If you are denied insurance based on an MIB report, you are entitled to certain rights under the FCRA, including the ability to obtain a free report and the right to have erroneous information corrected. See the Federal Trade Commission's website on insurance decisions.
The MIB does not have a file on everyone. But if you have an MIB file, you will want to be sure it is correct. You can obtain a copy for free once a year by calling (866) 692-6901 (TTY for the hearing impaired (866) 346-3642) or by visiting the MIB's website.
In general the MIB can be contacted at Medical Information Bureau, P.O. Box 105, Essex Station, Boston, MA 02112, or by sending an email to infoline@mib.com Web: www.mib.com.
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