Confidential Communication Law

Effective January 1, 2022, a new “Confidential Communication” law in Rhode Island will allow insured individuals or authorized representatives to request that their Protected Health Information (PHI) be sent to the insured individual or authorized representative instead of the primary insured who pays for the enrollee’s health insurance plan. Insured individuals or authorized representatives can request that they be contacted at a specific mail or email address or specific telephone number, as designated by the insured individual or authorized representative. The law requires the following:

(a) A health insurer shall permit insured individuals or authorized representatives to submit the standardized form entitled “Request for Confidential Communications”. 

(b) A health insurer shall accommodate requests for communication in the form and format requested by the insured individual or authorized representative, if it is readily producible in the requested form and format. 

(c) A request for confidential communication shall be valid until the insured individual or authorized representative submits a revocation of the request, or a new confidential communication request is submitted. 

(d) The health insurer must implement a confidential communications request within ten (10) calendar days of the receipt of an electronic transmission or telephonic request or within ten (10) calendar days of receipt by first-class mail. 

(e) The health insurer shall acknowledge receipt of the confidential communications request and advise the insured individual or authorized representative of the status of implementation of the request if an insured individual or authorized representative contacts the insurer. 

If you have any questions, please call the member phone number on your health plan ID card.