TexasHealthOptions.com

This policy addresses collection, use, and security of and access to information that may be obtained or collected through the use of TexasHealthOptions.com and the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) web sites.

Information Collected and How It Is Used

If you do nothing during your visit but browse through our web site, or download information, we automatically collect and store the following information about your visit:

• The Internet Protocol Address and domain name used;
• The type of browser and operating system used;
• The date and time you visited our web site;
• The web pages or services you accessed at our web site; and
• The web site you visited prior to coming to our web site.

We analyze this information to help us make our web site more useful and for the following reasons:

• To determine the number of visitors to our web site;
• To count the number of times files are downloaded and web pages are accessed;
• To identify system performance or problem areas;
• To fix problems with pages and files; and
• To review the types of technology visitors are using.

This information is not reported or used in any manner that would reveal personally identifiable information, and will not be released to outside parties unless legally required to do so in connection with law enforcement investigations or other legal proceedings, or in accordance with the Texas Public Information Act.

Personal Information and Choice

You may choose whether to provide personal information on-line.

"Personal information" is information about an individual person that is readily identifiable to that specific individual. Personal information includes such things as an individual's name, address, and phone number.

If during your visit to our web site you participate in a survey, fill out one of our on-line forms, or send an email, you will be providing personal information to us. We use this information in the following manner:

• email: To respond to your message and help you get the information you have requested;
• surveys: This information is used for the purpose designated; and
• on-line forms: This information is used for the purpose designated.

All of our on-line forms that require you to enter personal information are encrypted to meet privacy requirements.

We will only share the personal information with another government agency, whether sent to us by e-mail or through an on-line form, if the information you submitted relates to that agency, or as otherwise required by law.

Please be aware that the information you submit to the Texas Department of Insurance, whether it is through our web site or through the United States mail, or by another method may be considered a public record and therefore subject to the Texas Public Information Act. Please refer to our Open Records Policy for further information.

If you choose not to contact us by email, participate in a survey or fill out an on-line form, your choice will in no way affect your ability to use other features on our web site.

You always have the option of printing the survey, or on-line form, or you may fill them out by hand and send it to us via fax or through the U.S. mail.

Access and Correction of Personal Information

With few exceptions, you are entitled to be informed about the information that the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) collects about you. Under sections 552.021 and 552.023 of the Texas Government Code, you have a right to review or receive copies of information about yourself, including private information. However, TDI may withhold information for reasons other than to protect your right to privacy. Under section 559.004 of the Texas Government Code, you are entitled to request that TDI correct information that TDI has about you that is incorrect. For more information about the procedure and costs for obtaining information from TDI or about the procedure for correcting information kept by TDI, please contact the Agency Counsel Section of TDI's Legal & Compliance Division at (512) 475-1757 or visit the Corrections Procedure section of TDI's web page.

Email

Under most circumstances, an email address of a member of the public that is provided for the purpose of communicating electronically with TDI is confidential and not subject to disclosure. You may agree (opt "in") to disclosure of your email address by completing an on-line form.

Cookies

As a practice, TDI does not use persistent cookies. We may use "session" cookies with some or all of our on-line forms. A session cookie is a line of text that is stored temporarily in your computer's memory. Because a session cookie is never written to a hard drive, it is destroyed as soon as you close your browser. A session cookie makes it easier for you to fill out a form by allowing it to keep track of where you are in the process. TDI does not use cookies for other purposes, nor do we use Web bugs (also called Web beacons or Clear GIFs) to track or report visitor information.

Security

The Texas Department of Insurance has taken several steps to safeguard the integrity of its data and prevent unauthorized access to information maintained. These measures are designed and intended to prevent corruption of data, block unknown or unauthorized access to our systems and information, and to provide reasonable protection of private information in our possession.

This privacy policy does not guarantee that all personal information provided to TDI via this web site will remain secure.

128-bit Encryption

TDI has switched to 128-bit encryption for certain portions of the Web site where private or sensitive information is collected. The change was made to provide you with the most reliable and secure encryption technology available. By utilizing 128-bit encryption keys, we are further securing our Web site and network against brute force attacks that might be directed at your online transactions, including any private complaint information you may have sent TDI.

If your browser does not support 128-bit encryption, you will not be able to connect to encrypted pages.

To determine if your browser supports 128-bit encryption, click on "Help" in the toolbar of your Internet browser and click on "About [browser name]". A pop-up box or window will appear. For Internet Explorer - next to "Cipher strength" you should see "128-bit". For Netscape - the following text should appear: "This version supports high-grade (128-bit) security with RSA Public Key Cryptography."

If your browser does not support 128-bit encryption, you will need to upgrade to a browser that does in order to continue to access secure pages of the Web site. Recommended browsers include: Netscape Navigator 4.75, Internet Explorer 5.0 or 6.0, and AOL 6, 7 or 8, but other browsers that support 128-bit encryption may also work. Please visit www.microsoft.com if you need to update your Microsoft browser. Please visit www.netscape.com if you need to update your Netscape browser.

Links To Other Web Sites

As a convenience, TDI's web site offers links to certain government and insurance-related web sites created and maintained by public and private entities. TDI has no control over linked sites nor can it be held responsible for material found on any non-TDI web site. A link to another web site does not mean the site is endorsed in any way by TDI. For more inforamtion, please read the state's general guidelines on linking to agency Web sites.

Contact Information

Please address questions about this policy to TDI's Public Information Office (PIO):

• By Telephone: (512) 463-6435
• By Fax: (512) 463-6141
• By Mail: Texas Department of Insurance
  Public Information Office MC 113-1A
  PO Box 149104
  Austin, Tx 78714-9104

For more information contact: