Is personal check data PHI if used to pay a covered entity?
<p>Is the information on a personal check such as a name, address and phone number considered personally identifiable health information or PHI if paid to a covered entity?</p>

<p>Yes it is PHI. What is PHI doesn't change because the name or other info is on a check instead of a chart. The goal is to stop patients from being identified without consent. Here is a <a href="https://www.paubox.com/blog/what-is-phi-protected-health-information-hipaa" rel="nofollow noreferrer">list</a> of items commonly covered as PHI. If I had to use that list to classify the check, I would consider it payment history. Those are not the only things that could be covered. Any information that conveys the identity of a patient could be on the list. The same rules apply no matter where the PHI is located, as long as it is transmitted to or in the care of a covered entity.</p>

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