Privacy Statement for SMS Communications

Insurance Management Services (IMS) is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Statement explains how we collect, use, and share information when you participate in our SMS communication program. We will not transfer your personal data to external organizations without your consent, except as required by law or to provide our services. This statement specifically addresses the privacy of information related to employee and member interactions via SMS, and is intended to be read in conjunction with our full Privacy Policy, available at Privacy Policy – Insurance Management Services (IMS) .

Information We Collect:

When you opt-in to receive SMS messages from IMS, we may collect the following information:

• Mobile Phone Number:
  We collect your mobile phone number to send you SMS messages.
• Opt-In Information:
  We may collect information about how and when you opted in to receive SMS messages, such as the keyword used, the short code, and the date and time of opt-in.
• Message Interactions:
  We may collect information about your interactions with our SMS messages, such as whether you received, read, or replied to them.
• Other Information (if applicable):
  Depending on the specific SMS program, we might collect other relevant information, always in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including HIPAA. This will be disclosed to you at the time of collection.

How We Use Your Information:

We use your information for the following purposes:

No mobile information will be shared or collected with third parties/affiliates for marketing/promotional purposes. All other categories exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this information will not be shared with any third parties.

• To Provide SMS Services:
  We use your mobile phone number to send you the SMS messages you have opted in to receive, such as appointment reminders, notifications, alerts, and other relevant communications.
• To Improve Our Services:
  We may use aggregated and anonymized data about message interactions to analyze the effectiveness of our SMS program and improve our communication strategies.
• To Comply with Legal Obligations:
  We may use your information to comply with applicable laws and regulations, including HIPAA.
• Other Uses (if applicable):
  Any other uses of your information will be disclosed to you at the time of collection.

How We Share Your Information:

We may share your information with the following parties:

• Service Providers:
  We may share your information with third-party service providers who assist us in providing SMS services, such as message delivery platforms. We ensure that these service providers are contractually obligated to protect your privacy and handle your information in accordance with applicable laws, including HIPAA.
• Legal Authorities:
  We may disclose your information to legal authorities if required by law, court order, or other legal process.
• Business Transfers:
  In the event of a merger, acquisition, or other business transfer, your information may be transferred as part of the transaction. You will be notified of any such transfer.

HIPAA Compliance:

IMS is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your Protected Health Information (PHI) in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). We will not share PHI via SMS messages unless it is specifically permitted by HIPAA regulations and you have provided your prior written consent. SMS messages may contain secure links to access PHI through our secure portal.

Data Security:

We take reasonable measures to protect your information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure that follow all guidelines and standards in which to comply with all industry, state and federal regulations. These measures may include:

• data encryption
• limited access controls
• secure data storage
• employee training
• regular audits

However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure.

Opt-Out:

You have the right to opt-out of receiving SMS messages from us at any time. To opt-out:

• reply STOP to any message you receive.
• updating preferences in the member portal
• contacting customer service

Changes to this Privacy Statement:

We may update this Privacy Statement from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the updated statement on our website or through other reasonable means.

Contact Information:

For questions or support regarding our SMS program, please contact us at:

By participating in the IMS SMS program, you acknowledge that you have read and understand this Privacy Statement.