Notice of Protected Health Information Privacy Policy

 

By accepting this Privacy Policy, you acknowledge that you understand, have read, and agree to the provisions outlined in it, which is incorporated herein and made part of these Terms and Conditions by reference.

USECPAP, LLC may collect names, email and physical addresses as well as demographic information for purposes of marketing and internal customer data analysis. We will not share your information without your express consent and we do the utmost to protect your security by utilizing Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). You can review and change your information by accessing your online account through www.usecpap.com.

NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

As required by the privacy regulations created as a result of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). 

This notice describes how health information about you (as a patient of this practice) may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to your individually identifiable health information.

Please review this notice carefully.

A.  Our commitment to your privacy:

Our practice is dedicated to maintaining the privacy of your individually identifiable health information (also called protected health information, or PHI).  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 the privacy practices that we maintain in our practice concerning your PHI.  By federal and state law, we must follow the terms of the Notice of Privacy Practices that we have in effect at the time.

The terms of this notice apply to all records containing your PHI that are created or retained by our practice.  We reserve the right to revise or amend this Notice of Privacy Practices.  Any revision or amendment to this notice will be effective for all your records that our practice has created or maintained in the past, and for any of your records that we may create or maintain in the future. 

B.  We may use and disclose your PHI in the following ways:

The following categories describe the different ways in which we may use and disclose your PHI.

1.  Treatment. Our practice may use your PHI to treat you.  We might use your PHI in order to write a prescription for you, or we might disclose your PHI to a pharmacy when we order a prescription for you.  Many of the people who work for our practice – including, but not limited to, our providers and their assistants – may use or disclose your PHI in order to treat you or to assist others in your treatment.  Additionally, we may disclose your PHI to others who may assist in your care, such as your spouse, children, or parents provided they are legally authorized. Finally, we may also disclose your PHI to other health care providers for purposes related to your treatment if you consent to doing so.

2.  Payment. Our practice may use and disclose your PHI to bill directly for services and items.

3.  Health care operations. We may collection aggregate data about your health (in an anonymous manner) for statistical analysis, improvement of services, and customization of web design, content layout, and services.  This includes internal administration and planning, as well as various activities that improve the quality and cost effectiveness of the care that we deliver to you.  There are some services provided in our organization through contracts with business associates, who may gain access to PHI.  Examples of business associates include telemedicine and electronic medical records platform providers, management consultants, quality assurance reviewers, shredding companies, and translation services.  We may disclose your PHI to our business associates so that they can perform the job we have asked them to do in order to provide better health care services to you.  To protect your PHI, we require our business associates to sign a contract stating that they will appropriately safeguard your PHI to HIPAA standards.

4.  Appointment reminders. Our practice may use and disclose your PHI to contact you and remind you of an appointment.

5.  Optional treatment options. Our practice may use and disclose your PHI to inform you of potential treatment options or alternatives.

6.  Disclosures required by law. Our practice will use and disclose your PHI when we are required to do so by federal, state, or local law.

C.  Use and disclosure of your PHI 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 practice may disclose your PHI to public health authorities that are authorized by law to collect information with the purpose of:

• • Maintaining vital records, such as births and deaths,

  • Reporting child abuse or neglect,

  • Preventing or controlling disease, injury, or disability,

  • Notifying a person regarding potential exposure to a communicable disease,

  • Notifying a person regarding a potential risk for spreading or contracting a disease or condition,

  • Reporting reactions to drugs or problems with products or devices,

  • Notifying individuals if a product or device they may be using has been recalled,

  • Notifying appropriate government agency(ies) and authority(ies) regarding the potential abuse or neglect of an adult patient (including domestic violence); however, we will only disclose this information if the patient agrees or we are required or authorized by law to disclose this information,

  • Notifying your employer under limited circumstances related primarily to workplace injury or illness or medical surveillance.

2.  Health oversight activities. Our practice may disclose your PHI 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 practice may use and disclose your PHI in response to a court or administrative order, if you are involved in a lawsuit or similar proceeding.  We also may disclose your PHI 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 PHI if asked to do so by a law enforcement official:

• • Regarding a crime victim in certain situations, if we are unable to obtain the person’s agreement,

  • Concerning a death, we believe has resulted from criminal conduct,

  • Regarding criminal conduct at our offices,

  • In response to a warrant, summons, court order, subpoena, or similar legal process,

  • To identify/locate a suspect, material witness, fugitive, or missing person,

  • In an emergency, to report a crime (including the location or victim(s) of the crime, or the description, identify, or location of the perpetrator).

5.  Optional deceased patients. Our practice may release PHI to a medical examiner or coroner to identify a deceased individual or to identify the cause of death.  If necessary, we also may release information in order for funeral directors to perform their jobs.

6.  Serious threat to health or safety. Our practice may use and disclose your PHI when necessary to reduce or prevent a serious threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of another individual or to the public.  Under these circumstances, we will only make disclosures to a person or organization able to help prevent the threat.

7.  Military. Our practice may disclose your PHI if you are a member of U.S. or foreign military forces (including veterans) and if required by the appropriate authorities.

8.  National security. Our practice may disclose your PHI to federal officials for intelligence and national security activities authorized by law.  We also may disclose your PHI to federal and national security activities authorized by law.  We also may disclose your PHI to federal officials in order to protect the president, other officials or foreign heads of state, or to conduct investigations.

9.  Inmates. Our practice may disclose your PHI 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.

10.  Workers’ compensation. Our practice may release your PHI for workers’ compensation and similar programs.

D.  Your rights regarding your PHI:

You have the following rights regarding the PHI that we maintain about you:

1.  Confidential communications. You have the right to request that our practice communicate with you about your health and related issues in a particular manner or at a certain location.  For instance, you may ask that we contact you at home, rather than work.  In order to request a type of confidential communication, you must make a written request to customer service at USECPAP, LLC specifying the requested method of contact, or the location where you wish to be contacted.  Our practice will accommodate reasonable requests.  You do not need to give the reason for your request.

2.  Requesting restrictions. You have the right to request a restriction in our use or disclosure of your PHI for treatment, payment, or health care operations.  Additionally, you have the right to request that we restrict our disclosure of your PHI to only certain individuals involved in your care.  In order to request a restriction in our use or disclosure of your PHI, you must make your request in writing to customer service at USECPAP, LLC.  Your request must describe in a clear and concise fashion:

• • The information you wish restricted,

  • Whether you are requesting to limit our practice’s use, disclosure, or both,

  • To whom you want the limits to apply.

3.  Inspections and copies. You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of the PHI that may be used to make decisions about you, including patient medical records and billing records.  You must submit your request in writing to customer service at USECPAP, LLC in order to inspect and/or obtain a copy of your PHI.  Our practice may charge a fee for the costs of copying, mailing, labor, and supplies associated with your request. 

4.  Amendment. You may ask us to amend your health information if you believe it is incorrect or incomplete, and you may request an amendment for as long as the information is kept by or for us practice.  To request an amendment, your request must be made in writing and submitted to customer service at USECPAP, LLC.  You must provide us with a reason that supports your request for amendment.   Our practice will deny your request if you fail to submit your request (and the reason supporting your request) in writing.  Also, we may deny your request if you ask us to amend information that is in our opinion: (a) inaccurate and incomplete; (b) not part of the PHI kept by or for the practice; (c) not part of the PHI which you would be permitted to inspect and copy; or (d) not created by our practice, unless the individual or entity that created the information is not available to amend the information.

5.  Accounting of disclosures. All of our patients have the right to request an “accounting of disclosures.”  An “accounting of disclosures” is a list of certain non-routine disclosures our practice has made of your PHI for purposes not related to treatment, payment, or operations.  Use of your PHI as part of the routine patient care in our practice is not required to be documented – for example, the physician assistant or nurse practitioner sharing information with the doctor or the billing department using your information to file your insurance claim.  In order to obtain an accounting of disclosures, you must submit your request in writing to customer service at USECPAP, LLC.  All requests for an “accounting of disclosures” must state a time period, which may not be longer than six (6) years from the date of disclosure and may not include dates before JANUARY 20, 2022.  The first list you request within a 12-month period is free of charge, but our practice may charge you for additional lists within the same 12-month period.  Our practice will notify you of the costs involved with additional requests, and you may withdraw your request before you incur any costs.

6.  Right to a paper copy of this notice. You are entitled to receive a paper copy of our notice of privacy practices.  You may ask us to give you a copy of this notice at any time.

7.  Right to file a complaint. If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with our practice or with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.  To file a complaint with our practice, contact customer service at USECPAP, LLC.  All complaints must be submitted in writing.  You will not be penalized for filing a complaint.

8.  Right to provide an authorization for other uses and disclosures. Our practice will obtain your written authorization for uses and disclosures that are not identified by this notice or permitted by applicable law.  Any authorization you provide to us regarding the use and disclosure of your PHI may be revoked at any time in writing.  After you revoke your authorization, we will no longer use or disclose your PHI for the reasons described in the authorization.  Please note we are required to retain records of your care.