HIPPA
PRIVACY PRACTICES
For Medcare Services
(referred to in this document as “the supplier”)
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
This Notice of Privacy Practices is being provided to you as a requirement of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This Notice describes how we may use and disclose your protected health information to carry out treatment, payment or health care operations and for other purposes that are permitted or required by law. It also describes your rights to access and control your protected health information in some cases. Your “protected health information” means any of your written and oral health information, including demographic data that can be used to identify you.
I. Uses and Disclosures of Protected Health Information
The supplier may use your protected health information for purposes of providing items and equipment to you, obtaining payment for the items and equipment, and conducting health care operations. Your protected health information may be used or disclosed only for these purposes unless the supplier has obtained your authorization or the use or disclosure is otherwise permitted by the HIPAA Privacy Regulations or State law. Disclosures may be made in writing, orally, or by facsimile.
A. Treatment. We will use and disclose your protected health information to provide, coordinate, or manage your health care and any related items and services. This includes the coordination or management of your health care with a third party for treatment purposes. For example, we may exchange protected health information with your treating physician who has ordered HME equipment as part of your treatment.
B. Payment. Your protected health information will be used, as needed, to obtain payment for the equipment and items that we provide you or to another provider involved in your care for that provider’s payment activities. For example, we may disclose protected health information to your insurance company to determine whether you are eligible for benefits or whether a particular item is covered under your health plan.
C. Operations. We may use or disclose your protected health information, as necessary, for our own health care operations in order to facilitate the function of the supplier and to provide quality care to all patients. Health care operations include such activities as:
· Quality assessment and improvement activities.
· Employee review activities.
· Accreditation, certification, licensing or credentialing activities.
