NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES As Required by the Privacy Regulations Promulgated
Pursuant to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU
MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO
YOUR IDENTIFIABLE HEALTH INFORMATION.
PLEASE REVIEW THIS NOTICE CAREFULLY.
A. OUR COMMITMENT TO YOUR PRIVACY
Our organization is dedicated to maintaining the privacy of your identifiable health information. In
conducting our business, we will create records regarding you and the treatment and services we provide to
you. We are required by law to maintain the confidentiality of health information that identifies you. We
also are required by law to provide you with this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices
concerning your identifiable health information. By law, we must follow the terms of the notice of privacy
practices that we have in effect at the time.
To summarize, this notice provides you with the following important information:
The terms of this notice apply to all records containing your identifiable health information that are created or retained by our practice. We reserve the right to revise or amend our notice of privacy practices. Any revision or amendment to this notice will be effective for all of your records our practice has created or maintained in the past, and for any of your records we may create or maintain in the future. Our organization will post a copy of our current notice in our offices in a prominent location, and you may request a copy of our most current notice during any office visit.
B. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS NOTICE, PLEASE CONTACT:
Midtown Express Inc. Oxygen Company at (303) 577-0066
C. WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION IN THE
FOLLOWING WAYS
The following categories describe the different ways in which we may use and disclose your
identifiable health information:
1. Treatment. Our organization may use your identifiable health information to treat you. For example, we may use your health information to properly select the medical equipment and/or supplies most appropriate for your care. Many of the people who work for our organization may use or disclose your identifiable health information in order to treat you or to assist others in your treatment. Additionally, we may disclose your identifiable health information to others who may assist in your care, such as to health plans, medical vendors or manufacturers, medical facilities, or family members.
2. Payment. Our organization may use and disclose your identifiable health information in order to bill and collect payment for the services and items you may receive from us. For example, we may contact your health insurer to certify that you are eligible for benefits (and for what range of benefits), and we may provide your insurer with details regarding your treatment to determine if your insurer will cover, or pay for, your treatment. We also may use and disclose your identifiable health information to obtain payment from third parties who may be responsible for such costs, such as family members. Also, we may use your identifiable health information to bill you directly for services and items.
3. Health Care Operations. Our organization may use and disclose your identifiable health information to operate our business. As examples of the ways in which we may use and disclose your information for our operations, our organization may use your health information to evaluate the quality of care you received from us or to conduct cost-management and business planning activities for our practice.
4. Appointment Reminders. Our organization may use and disclose your identifiable health information to contact you and remind you of visits/deliveries.
5. Health-Related Benefits and Services. Our organization may use and disclose your identifiable health information to inform you of health-related benefits or services that may be of interest to you.
6. Release of Information to Family/Friends. Our organization may release your identifiable health information to a friend or family member who is helping you pay for your health care or who assists in taking care of you.
7. Disclosures Required By Law. Our organization will use and disclose your identifiable health information when we are required to do so by federal, state, or local law.
D. USE AND DISCLOSURE OF YOUR IDENTIFIABLE HEALTH INFORMATION IN
CERTAIN SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES
The following categories describe unique scenarios in which we may use or disclose your identifiable
health information:
1. Public Health Risks. Our organization may disclose your identifiable health information to public health
authorities that are authorized by law to collect information for the purpose of:
2. Health Oversight Activities. Our organization may disclose your identifiable health information to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law. Oversight activities can include, for example, investigations, inspections, audits, surveys, licensure, and disciplinary actions; civil, administrative, and criminal procedures or actions; or other activities necessary for the government to monitor government programs, compliance with civil rights laws, and the health care system in general.
3. Lawsuits and Similar Proceedings. Our organization may use and disclose your identifiable health information in response to a court or administrative order if you are involved in a lawsuit or similar proceeding. We also may disclose your identifiable health information in response to a discovery request, subpoena, or other lawful process by another party involved in the dispute, but only if we have made an effort to inform you of the request or to obtain an order protecting the information the party has requested.
4. Law Enforcement. We may release identifiable health information if asked to do so by a law enforcement official:
5. Serious Threats to Health or Safety. Our organization may use and disclose your identifiable health information when necessary to reduce or prevent a serious threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of another individual or the public. Under these circumstances, we will only make disclosures to a person or organization able to help prevent the threat.
6. Military. Our organization may disclose your identifiable health information if you are a member of U.S. or foreign military forces (including veterans) and if required by the appropriate military command authorities.
7. National Security. Our organization may disclose your identifiable health information to federal officials for intelligence and national security activities authorized by law. We also may disclose your identifiable health information to federal officials in order to protect the President, other officials or foreign heads of state, or to conduct investigations.
8. Inmates. Our organization may disclose your identifiable health information to correctional institutions or law enforcement officials if you are an inmate or under the custody of a law enforcement official. Disclosure for these purposes would be necessary: (a) for the institution to provide health care services to you; (b) for the safety and security of the institution; and/or (c) to protect your health and safety or the health and safety of other individuals.
9. Workers' Compensation. Our organization may release your identifiable health information for workers' compensation and similar programs.
E. YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING YOUR IDENTIFIABLE HEALTH INFORMATION You have the following rights regarding the identifiable health information that we maintain about you: