Website privacy policy

Updated: Jan. 25, 2024

Our commitment to privacy

Sharp HealthCare and Sharp Health Plan is committed to maintaining the privacy of those who use our website. This website privacy policy is designed to assist you in understanding how we collect and use the personal information you provide to us and to assist you in making informed decisions when using our website.

We want you to feel safe and comfortable when you use our website are dedicated to developing and upholding high standards for protecting your privacy and securing your personal information. You should read and familiarize yourself with this policy and with our Terms and conditions of use. When you use our website, you agree to abide by this agreement.

Information we collect

When you visit our website, you may provide us with two types of information:

  1. Personal information you knowingly choose to disclose
  2. Website use information

Personal information is any information you've provided us through our website that uniquely identifies you, such as name, Social Security Number, health plan ID number, medical record number, date of birth, telephone number, address or email address.

Website use information is information that is gathered automatically by Sharp Health Plan to track website activity, including the number of users and pages visited. Website use information includes internet protocol (IP) addresses, browser type, internet service provider (ISP), referring/exit pages, operating system, and date/time stamp. Website use information does not identify individual users.

Use of cookies, beacons and other tracking technology

To access the secure services on our website, "cookies" must be enabled. Cookies are pieces of information stored on a user's computer which allow us to recognize repeat users, track usage patterns and better serve you when you return to our site. Cookies are not used on non-secure portions of Sharp Health Plan’s website. Your browser is probably set to accept cookies. However, if you would prefer not to accept cookies, you can change your browser settings to refuse them. If you choose to have your browser refuse cookies, it is possible that some areas of our website will not function properly when you view them, and you may have to re-enter personal information every time you use the site to participate in certain services or promotions.

Sharp Health Plan uses so-called “behavioral” advertising on third-party sites (also sometimes called "retargeting" or "tracking"), through which information collected about the pages you visit on our site is used to display ads for Sharp Health Plan or Sharp products or services when you visit third-party websites. The information collected that makes this possible may uniquely identify your machine or browser settings but does not personally identify you.

How we use information

Sharp Health Plan uses the personal information that you submit to us via our website to administer our business activities and to respond to your inquiries. We will not sell, lease, rent or license your personal information to a third party, unless you authorize us to do so. We may provide your personal information to health care entities involved in providing health care to you, such as your health plan or physician. In such case, Sharp Health Plan will disclose personal information in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations as described in Sharp Health Plan’s Notice of privacy practices.

In addition, Sharp Health Plan reserves the right to de-identify and aggregate data, and to use such aggregated data in accordance with all applicable laws. If your membership is sponsored by your employer or another third party, we may share information with that party in de-identified, aggregate form only. For example, we may report to your employer the number of its employees using the website or the frequency of their collective use. This information will not identify you personally.

Questions about your personal information

If you have questions about your personal information maintained by Sharp Health Plan, please contact us at the telephone number listed below.

How we respond to Do Not Track Signals

Some internet browsers have incorporated "Do Not Track" (“DNT”) features that, when turned on, signal to the web sites you visit that you do not wish to be tracked. Because there are not yet any common standards for DNT (or even a clear definition of to what it should apply) we do not currently respond to DNT Signals. 

Our commitment to security

The security of your personal information is important to Sharp Health Plan. To prevent unauthorized access, maintain data security and ensure the correct use of information, Sharp Health Plan has adopted stringent security standards. These standards include physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to protect and secure the information that we collect from you. While we follow generally accepted industry standards to protect the personal information submitted to us, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. We, therefore, cannot guarantee absolute security.

This website contains links to other websites that are not owned or controlled by Sharp Health Plan. Please be aware that Sharp Health Plan is not responsible for the privacy practices, content or accuracy of such other websites. Sharp Health Plan encourages you to be aware when you leave our website and to read the privacy policies of every website that collects your personal information.

Email

If you identify yourself to us by sending us an email with questions or comments, we may use your personal information to respond to your questions or comments. We may file your comments for future reference, or we may discard the information after we have reviewed it. Any ideas, comments or materials you submit will be treated as non-confidential and shall become the property of Sharp Health Plan. By submitting such ideas, comments or materials, you automatically and irrevocably assign to Sharp Health Plan any and all rights whether now known or arising in the future to such ideas, comments or materials. Sharp Health Plan shall exclusively own all such rights, with no obligation to you of any sort. This provision is necessary to avoid future misunderstandings in the event that projects developed by our staff might seem to others to be similar to their own creative work.

If you give us your email address via this website or via any other method, we may send you unsolicited email with information about Sharp Health Plan, health or wellness or other topics of interest to our members. If you provide us your work email account or any account provided by your employer, your employer may have access to any emails sent to or from that address in accordance with your employer’s right to monitor employee email. If you request to be removed from our email list, we will honor your request. We will never sell your email address or provide it to anyone else except as described in this policy or as set forth in our Notice of privacy practices.

Changing your email preferences

Sharp Health Plan may send you communications, including email communications, regarding products, services, promotions, changes to the site or other information. You can choose not to receive such communications:

  • By following unsubscribe directions stated in the footer of email communications
  • By contacting Customer Care at 1-858-499-8300 or toll-free at 1-800-359-2002

Your responsibility

Although we will protect your privacy on the website as described in this policy, you should keep in mind that if you give others access to your computer, your password, or disclose personal information online, it is possible that despite our efforts information may be accessible by others. You can help guard against this by never disclosing your password, giving anyone else access to your personal computer, and by ensuring that information you disclose online is transmitted securely.

Changes to our website privacy policy

Sharp Health Plan reserves the right to change this website privacy policy at any time without advance notice to our users. Modifications to the policy shall be effective when they are posted on this website, in which case posting shall constitute notice to you. Your continued use of the website following the posting of any such modifications on the website constitutes your acceptance and agreement to be bound by such modifications. We encourage you to check the website regularly to see if we have made any modifications to this policy.

If you have questions regarding our website privacy policy or other general questions, please contact us at 1-858-499-8300 or toll-free at 1-800-359-2002, or email us.

Sharp Direct Advantage is offered by Sharp Health Plan. Sharp Health Plan is an HMO with a Medicare contract. Enrollment with Sharp Health Plan depends on contract renewal. Read the full disclaimer.

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