MENDOZA GROUP PRIVACY STATEMENT

PURPOSE

Mendoza Group is collecting sensitive information from you in order to assist in determining your eligibility, and enrolling you, in one of the Pennsylvania Health Insurance Exchange Authority’s (knows as Pennie) health plans. To do this Mendoza, on behalf of Pennie, is required to collect certain Personal Identifiable Information (PII) and Protected Health Information (PHI). Your privacy is important and we will strive to protect your PII and PHI in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations and standards of security and privacy.

COLLECTION OF INFORMATION

We collect information that you provide voluntarily during the application process and through verbal communication with our in-person and call center representatives. We will only collect the minimum information required during the application process to verify your eligibility to enroll in Pennie. This information will not be shared, sold or used for any direct marketing purposes without your prior consent and will only not be provided to any other person or entity unless it is required to determine eligibility to enroll in a health plan.  The PII and PHI you provide will only be disclosed to those who have a “need to know” in connection with processing your application.

WHAT WE COLLECT

In order to facilitate enrollment Mendoza, on behalf of Pennie, must collect information necessary to authenticate identity, citizenship status, residency, income, and incarceration status, as well as disability and medical insurance coverage information. The data collected includes, but is not limited to:

• Demographic Data: Name, Address, email, age
• Income Data: Tax filing status, marriage status, tax dependents, employer, income
• Citizenship and Immigration Data: social security number, resident alien number, incarceration status
• Disability Information:
• Medical Insurance Coverage Information

HOW INFORMTION IS USED

The information you voluntarily submit to Pennie may be used to:

• Determine eligibility for enrollment in a qualified health plan;
• Assessing eligibility for Medicaid or other insurance affordable health plans;
• Determining eligibility for premium support;
• Answering questions and providing assistance;
• Auditing applications and detecting fraud; and
• Fulfilling our legal obligations.

From time-to-time Pennie may combine PII collected from you with information available from other sources (e.g., Medicaid eligibility information from PA Dept. of Human Services). Pennie may also de-identify your data and such activities are not subject to Privacy Policy restrictions.

SAFEGUARDING YOUR INFORMATION

PII and PHI is protected with reasonable operational, administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to ensure its confidentiality, integrity, and availability and to prevent unauthorized or inappropriate access, use, or disclosure. Mendoza utilizes industry standard methods and mechanisms for data protection, such as firewalls, intrusion monitoring, and passwords to protect electronic information.

Mendoza will take all reasonable steps to ensure the confidentiality all PII and PHI that is collected during the application process. Mendoza does not save or store any of your PII or PHI; all data collected is input directly into the Pennie online application.  For more information on Pennie’s Privacy Policy visit www.pennie.com/policies.

FILING A COMPLAINT WITH PENNIE

Complaints regarding the improper handling of PII collected during the application process should be submitted by email to Pennie’s Privacy Officer at Privacy@pennie.com. All complaints will be reviewed by the Privacy Officer and Pennie’s Executive Director, and all appropriate or required action will be taken.