Filing a HIPAA Privacy Complaint

You may file a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) complaint if you believe that a person, department or business associate connected with the Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES) violated your (or someone else’s) health information privacy rights or committed another violation of the HIPAA Privacy Rule. OMES has authority to receive and investigate complaints against its covered components related to the federal Privacy Rule.

In order to fully consider and investigate a complaint, the complaint must:

Be filed in writing, either on paper or electronically.
Name the person, department or business associate that is the subject of the complaint.
Describe what occurred or failed to occur that is believed to be in violation of the applicable requirements of the Privacy Rule.
Be filed within 180 days of when you knew that the act or omission occurred.

Anyone can file written complaints with OMES by mail, fax or email. If you need help filing a complaint or have a question about using the optional complaint form, please contact the OMES Privacy Officer by using the contact information listed below. Two versions of this form are available – a print version and an online submission version.

If you choose not to use either of the above optional complaint forms, you may submit your complaint in any written format. Be sure to include the following information:

Your name, address, home and work telephone numbers and e-mail address, if available.
If you are filing a complaint on someone’s behalf, please identify the person on whose behalf you are filing.
Name, address and phone number of the person, department or business associate of OMES you believe committed the violation.
Whether you consent to your name being used in the investigation. Not using your name may hinder the investigation.
Briefly describe what happened. Be sure to include how, why and when you believe your (or the other individual’s) health information privacy rights were violated, and any other important information relevant to this incident.
State the best time and methods by which to contact you regarding the complaint, as well as any special communication accommodations you may need.
If we cannot reach you, please indicate the name and number of someone else we can contact.
Please sign and date your letter and keep a copy for your records.
Please also indicate whether you filed your complaint with someone else.
While OMES will make a good faith attempt to investigate anonymous complaints, it is important to provide as much detail as possible because follow-up information will be impossible to gather.

OMES will:

Try to ensure confidentiality to the greatest degree possible. Confidentiality of all participants in the reported situation shall be maintained to the extent reasonably possible throughout any resulting investigation. OMES may need to share certain information in order to investigate the complaint but will do so within the limits of the law.
Not take retaliatory action against anyone for filing a complaint.

Complaints or questions should be addressed to the following:

OMES HIPAA Privacy Officer
2401 N. Lincoln Blvd., Ste. 300
Oklahoma City, OK 73105

Telephone 405-717-8780 or 800-752-9475
TTY 711.

Alternatively, you may file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Office for Civil Rights.