Center For The Study Of Services

From: Debi W [redacted] Date: Wed, Jul 29, at 2:PMSubject: RE: [redacted] Complaint ( [redacted] )To: [redacted] < [redacted] @myRevdex.com.org>Hi [redacted] – here is our reply – Checkbook has the following refund policyIf a customer contacts us directly, Checkbook immediately issues a refundIf a customer contacts their bank and Checkbook receives a chargeback notice, Checkbook does not contest the chargeback and the bank reimburses the customerIn this case, the customer contacted their bank and Checkbook received the chargeback notice on 7/16/Checkbook canceled the subscription of the customer and Checkbook has not contested the chargebackCheckbook does not participate in credit report filings Thank You

From: Debi W[redacted] Date: Wed, Jul 29, 2015 at 2:13 PMSubject: RE: [redacted] Complaint ([redacted])To: [redacted] <[redacted]@myRevdex.com.org>Hi [redacted] – here is our reply – Checkbook has the following refund policy. If a customer contacts us directly,...

Checkbook immediately issues a refund. If a customer contacts their bank and Checkbook receives  a chargeback notice, Checkbook does not contest the chargeback and the bank reimburses the customer. In this case, the customer contacted their bank and Checkbook received the chargeback notice on 7/16/2015. Checkbook canceled the subscription of the customer and Checkbook has not contested the chargeback. Checkbook does not participate in credit report filings.  Thank You

Review: I have been contacted by U.S. mail by a company, CSS, Center for the Study of Services/Health Research Group, PO Box [redacted]., (aforenamed/mentioned) in the form of a "Survey". This "survey"is from a company that has somehow obtained both personally identifiable bio-data of myself, as well as information with precise and specific regard to personal health information including (but not limited to) medical treatment, coverages of medical treatment, demographic information of health provider(s) that provide said treatment as well as other information protected under federal (and State) HIPPA laws.

This "survey" is quite in-depth and vioaltes my rights as well as my provider's rights to protected health information, data and records. It presents as a kind of "survey" not only asking further specific health information, but also contains information within the actual 'survey' identifying protected health information. This, somehow illegally obtained, and references more information protected under HIPPA and other Privacy Act Laws. The information contained in this 'survey' is outside of of the rules of disclosure or 'exceptions' under HIPPA or the Privacy Act, further Federal HIPPA Laws preempt any State laws by which this company may be attempting to use as an avenue to gather protecteed health-related information. To the best of my personal knowledge I have NOT given any health-care provider nor business entity permission to disclose nor release the information that this 'survey company has somehow been using and obtained.Desired Settlement: Expalanation of where and exactly how this information was obtained, when it was obtained and where-from. A cease and desist of this company's illegal "survey' practices, fines if applicable. The company for which this complaint is set forth is : CSS, Center for the study of Services/Health Research Group, PO Box [redacted].

Outside of this I am going to pusrue litigation and legal actions under U.S. Federal Laws. I would like this comapny to be fully investigated for it's illegal information gathering and disclosure practices.

Business

Response:

Dear **. [redacted],

[redacted] ([redacted]) is the federal agency that administers the Medicare program and its responsibility is to ensure that Medicare beneficiaries get high quality care. As a part of carrying out their responsibility, [redacted] contracted with the [redacted] Corporation to study the performance of [redacted] ([redacted]). As a part of the study, [redacted] contracted with the Center for the Study of Services (CSS) to conduct a [redacted] ([redacted]) survey of Medicare beneficiaries about their healthcare providers. The [redacted] for [redacted]s Survey is a component of the shared savings payment policy required by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 ([redacted]). CSS is a [redacted] approved [redacted] survey vendor [redacted]).

Sampled Medicare beneficiary names, addresses, and provider relationships were gathered from Medicare data. [redacted] worked with [redacted] to draw a random sample of Medicare beneficiaries to include in the survey. [redacted] provided CSS with a sample of 189,200 Medicare beneficiaries to survey.

CSS was only given beneficiary contact information and provider names. CSS does not have access to any of beneficiary medical records.

All survey materials (letters and survey instruments) were approved by [redacted] prior to mailing.

All sampled beneficiaries, including the person who submitted the complaint, were sent a prenotification letter on January 17, 2014 (attached) and a survey package on January 24, 2014 (cover letter and survey instrument attached). Non-respondents to the first survey package were sent a replacement survey package on February 12, 2014.

Survey results are provided by CSS only to [redacted] for analysis by [redacted] on behalf of [redacted].

I hope this addresses the complaint. Please let me know if you would like any more detail.

Sincerely,

[redacted], Healthcare Research Director

Center for the Study of Services

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