As giant retailers like Amazon and Costco and startup companies like BetterHelp and Calmerry venture into virtual health care, more and more Americans are sharing personal health information online. We like to think our information is kept private and secure, but is it?
In a guest column for Talk Business and Politics, ACHI Health Policy Director Craig Wilson writes that many of the emerging companies offering virtual healthcare services such as online mental health therapy have opted not to accept health insurance. This means they are not covered by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, a federal law that protects sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without patient consent or knowledge. Wilson offers advice on how to protect your information as much as possible if you choose to use one of these providers.