Privacy Policy and Collection Statement
1.0 YOUR PRIVACY IS IMPORTANT TO US
1.1 rt health fund respects members' privacy and takes reasonable steps to ensure that members' personal information is kept safe. We appreciate and highly value the relationship we have with members and are highly committed to making sure that the information we hold for members is handled in a responsible manner and that privacy is protected.
1.2 rt health fund has created this 'Privacy Policy and Collection Statement' (together referred to as 'this Privacy Policy') in order to demonstrate its commitment to privacy. This policy represents our policy as at 1 May 2007.
1.3 rt health fund is committed to complying with its obligations under the Privacy Act and the National Privacy Principles ( and any similar state or territory legislation applicable).
1.4 rt health fund will update this privacy policy as required. If it is changed, the changes will be posted either on rt health fund's website or to each member so that members are always aware of the sort of information collected, how the information may be used, and under what circumstances it may be disclosed by rt health fund.
1.5 Please note that if at any time rt health fund is required by law to release information about members or a member's organisation, rt health fund must cooperate fully.
1.6 Although rt health fund intends to observe this Privacy Policy at all times, it is not legally binding on rt health fund in any way. From time to time, rt health fund may regard it as necessary or desirable to act outside the policy. rt health fund may do so, subject only to any statutory rights you have under the Privacy Act or other applicable legislation.
2.0 WHAT SORT OF INFORMATION DOES RT HEALTH FUND COLLECT?
2.1 The amount and type of information we have about members depends on the member's relationship with rt health fund and the extent to which members have used our services and made claims.
2.2 Primarily, rt health fund records information about members' name, sex, address, age, dependants and contact details such as a phone numbers, facsimile numbers, email addresses and PO box addresses. Other contact details may also be held.
2.3 rt health fund may also hold sensitive information about members, including information about health and wellbeing, which can be collected over a period of time. This information can originally have be collected from members, member's dependants, government agencies and health service providers.
2.4 rt health fund may also hold financial information about members such as bank details, credit card details, payroll details, occupation details, Medicare numbers and claims history.
2.5 rt health fund may also collect the following information from its website:
2.5.1 Statistical information.
rt health fund may collect statistical information regarding the use of the website. This collection includes your computer's Internet Protocol (IP) address, the date and time of your visit, pages viewed, previous site visited, browser type and pages viewed on our website. This information is collected to provide us with information about the use of the website and to help us maintain and develop the website to provide better information to users.
2.5.2 Cookies.
The rt health fund website uses cookies for the purposes of session tracking. Most internet browsers are pre-set to accept cookies. If you prefer not to receive cookies, you can adjust your browser to disable or to warn you when cookies are used. By disabling cookies, you will not be able to participate in some of the features of the website.
3.0 WHAT HAPPENS IF MEMBERS DO NOT PROVIDE THE INFORMATION?
3.1 If members refuse to provide information to rt health fund we may not be able to accurately and effectively process and access claims or provide members with health services or products otherwise entitled to, failure to provide necessary information can result in a policy being cancelled or a claim rejected.
4.0 WHY DOES RT HEALTH FUND COLLECT THE INFORMATION AND HOW IS MEMBER INFORMATION USED BY RT HEALH FUND?
4.1 rt health fund collects, stores, uses and discloses personal information to enable us to provide members with health services and benefits. We are then also able to fulfil our legal obligations as a health benefits organisation. When collecting this information we do so only by lawful and fair means and not in an unreasonably intrusive way. For example, we may use the information members provide us to access a claim.
4.2 When it is reasonable to do so, we will only collect personal information about members from members directly, however in many instances it is not practicable to do so, therefore we will collect information from a third party, and if required by law we will take reasonable steps to ensure that the third party will provide members with their privacy information.
4.3 rt health fund also uses members' personal information to send information (either by email or post) that members request. Members must contact rt health fund to advise us if they receive material was not request or that they do not want to receive.
4.4 rt health fund will at times send members marketing information to provide members with access to services offered by us and other organisations whose products we promote, for example optical dispenser promotions.
4.5 We will not disclose personal information to them. We also use members' information for market research purposes so that we can better understand our members.
4.6 We provide members with a choice to opt-out of our marketing activities, and we will respect members request not to receive marketing material from us. You may opt out of receiving any communications from us at any time. If you wish to do this, please make all requests to us (see 'Contacting' below). Please indicate on your request whether you wish to opt-out of either, or both, postal and electronic marketing communications.
5.0 WHO DOES RT HEALTH FUND DISCLOSE PERSONAL INFORMATION TO?
5.1 rt health fund will not sell, rent, trade or otherwise supply to third parties any personal information obtained by us from members unless the member consents.
5.2 rt health fund may collect, use or disclose information to government agencies including the Health Insurance Commission, the Private Health Insurance Administration Council and Federal and State health departments.
5.3 rt health fund uses and discloses members' personal information to effectively provide health benefits and other services such as:
- Claims processing and control.
- Address information technology, systems maintenance and development.
- To process the information for marketing purposes and to improve and extend our range of services.
- To take steps to improve members' general wellbeing by sending health related information.
- To resolve and investigate complaints.
- Marketing to members in accordance with the National Privacy Principles.
- Disclosing members' information if authorised or required by law.
- To transfer assets to a third party.
- To comply with legislation and regulations.
5.4 Only where appropriate, rt health fund will disclose personal information to third parties and when it does it will handle information in a manner which is consistent with our obligations under this privacy policy.
5.5 The types of organisations or people that rt health fund may disclose personal information to are:
- Government agencies, health service providers that provide members with services associated with health and wellbeing.
- Legally appointed trustee, guardian, executor, employer, attorney or legal representative.
- Payment operators, claims and membership assessors.
- Regulatory bodies, law enforcement bodies (if disclosure is desirable in the opinion of rt health fund)
- Agents or contractors who assist us in carrying out our functions.
- Other parties whom we are permitted, authorised or required to by law.
6.0 HOW WILL RT HEALTH FUND KEEP PERSONAL INFORMATION SECURE?
6.1 rt health fund has security measures designed to protect against the loss, misuse and/or alteration of the information under its control. rt health fund will take reasonable steps to ensure that your personal information which we collect, disclose, store and use is up to date, complete and accurate.
6.2 We will take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from the above in accordance with the requirements of our privacy policy and the National Privacy Principles.
7.0 CORRECTING AND UPDATING MEMBERS' PROFILES
7.1 You can gain access to your personal information that rt health fund holds by making a request to us (see 'Contacting' below). This is subject to some exceptions allowed by law and a handling fee may be payable so that we can obtain the information you require. We will give you reasons if we deny access.
7.2 rt health fund allows members the following options for accessing and modifying Information they have previously provided:
(a) Members may gain access to Information that rt health fund has collected, by contacting the office named below. We will not charge members for responding to such a request, unless we incur costs in providing the information.
b) If members need to notify rt health fund of necessary corrections/updates to personal information they can do so in writing to the fund or by email to privacy@rthealthfund.com.au.
8.0 CONTACTING
8.1 If members have any questions about this Privacy Policy, that cannot be answered correctly by the person in contact with a member, they should advise the member they will arrange for the section below to contact the member directly to answer any questions.
Sydney Office:
Privacy Policy Officer
46 Burwood Road Burwood
Phone 1300 886 123
Fax 1300 887 123
privacy@rthealthfund.com.au
9.0 STAFF OBLIGATIONS
rt health fund staff employed or hired have been trained in accordance with the Industry Standards Code of Practice which the Fund was a signatory in 2006. This will ensure all staff are trained and required to comply with the industry's code relating to the all privacy issues covered by the Australian Privacy Standards.
10.0 LINKS TO OTHER WEBSITES
From time to time our website may contain links to other websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of those websites.
