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HIPAA
- Privacy Practices
Peak Wheelchairs, LLC
Notice of Uses
PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION
(Effective 4/15/2003)
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU
MAY BE USED OR DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION.
PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
In accordance with the requirements of the Health Insurance Portability
and Accountability Act of 1996 ("HIPAA"), Peak Wheelchairs,
LLC (PEAK WHEELCHAIRS, LLC) is required to inform you of its practices
in
relation to the protected health information that it maintains about you.
HIPAA mandates minimum standards that a covered entity such as PEAK
WHEELCHAIRS, LLC must maintain in relation to your protected health information.
This Notice of Uses is being provided to help you understand how PEAK
WHEELCHAIRS, LLC meets these minimum standards. It is also meant to inform
you of the ways that PEAK WHEELCHAIRS, LLC may use the personal information
it collects about you and how it may disclose it.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION
When you receive care from a healthcare provider, a record of that treatment
is made. This record will typically contain information on your diagnosis,
treatment, and future plan of treatment and is often collectively referred
to as your medical record. This medical record includes protected health
information and lays the foundation for determining your plan of care
and treatment and allows for a successful means of communication between
all healthcare professionals that contribute to your care.
HIPAA protects information found in your medical record from disclosure
without your authorization. The information protected by HIPAA includes:
- Any information related to your past, present or future physical
or mental health;
- The past, present or future payment for health services you have
received;
- The specific care that you have received, are receiving or will receive;
- Any information that identifies you as the individual receiving the
care; and
- Any information that someone could reasonably use to identify you
as receiving the care.
This information is referred to as protected health information throughout
this Notice.
TREATMENT, PAYMENT AND HEALTHCARE OPERATIONS
As a Covered Entity, PEAK WHEELCHAIRS, LLC is required to inform you
of how it may use your protected health information. In providing treatment
to you, PEAK WHEELCHAIRS, LLC will use your protected health information
for the purposes of treatment, payment and healthcare operations.
Treatment - As it pertains to PEAK WHEELCHAIRS, LLC, treatment
means providing to you supplies and durable medical equipment services
as ordered by your physician. Treatment also includes coordination and
consultation with your physician and other health care providers. As PEAK
WHEELCHAIRS, LLC provides these services to you; information obtained
during this process will be recorded in your medical record. PEAK WHEELCHAIRS,
LLC will use this information, in coordination with your physician, to
determine the best course of treatment for you.
Payment - Payment purposes consist of activities required to
obtain reimbursement from you or your insurance carrier for the services
ordered by your physician and provided to you by PEAK WHEELCHAIRS, LLC.
This includes, but is not limited to, eligibility determination, pre-certification,
billing and collection activities, obtaining documentation required by
your insurer, and when applicable, disclosure of limited information to
consumer reporting agencies.
Healthcare operations - Operations can included, but are not
limited to, review of your protected health information by members of
PEAK WHEELCHAIRS, LLC's professional healthcare staff to ensure compliance
with all federal and state regulations. This information will then be
utilized to continually improve the quality and effectiveness of the services
provided to you by PEAK WHEELCHAIRS, LLC. Healthcare operations also include
PEAK WHEELCHAIRS, LLC's business management and general administrative
activities.
OTHER USES AND DISCLOSURES
In order to release information contained in your medical record for
purposes other than treatment, payment or healthcare operations, PEAK
WHEELCHAIRS, LLC must obtain a specific signed authorization from you.
You may revoke such authorization at any time, except to the extent PEAK
WHEELCHAIRS; LLC has taken action in reliance on the authorization. There
are a limited number of other uses and disclosures of protected health
information that do not require a specific authorization from you. PEAK
WHEELCHAIRS, LLC may in the following circumstances disclose your protected
health information.
- PEAK WHEELCHAIRS, LLC may disclose limited health information about
you to notify local agencies (i.e. power, gas, phone company, and emergency
medical services), in the event of an emergency (i.e.
flood, hurricanes, etc.), of your need for life sustaining equipment
or assistance in evacuation due to your medical condition.
- PEAK WHEELCHAIRS, LLC may disclose to a member of your family, other
relative, or a close personal friend, or any other person identified
by you, the protected health information directly relevant to such person's
involvement with your care or payment related to your health care.
- PEAK WHEELCHAIRS, LLC may disclose protected health information to
others as required by law.
- PEAK WHEELCHAIRS, LLC may disclose protected health information for
certain public health activities and purposes.
- PEAK WHEELCHAIRS, LLC may disclose protected health information to
a legally-authorized government authority, such as a social service
or protective services agency, if we reasonably believe you are a victim
of abuse, neglect or domestic violence.
- PEAK WHEELCHAIRS, LLC may disclose protected health information for
law enforcement purposes and in response to court orders or subpoenas.
- PEAK WHEELCHAIRS, LLC may disclose protected health information to
agencies authorized by law to conduct health oversight activities, including
audits, investigations, licensing and similar activities.
- PEAK WHEELCHAIRS, LLC may disclose protected health information to
attorneys, accountants, and others acting on behalf of PEAK WHEELCHAIRS,
LLC, provided they have signed written contracts agreeing to safeguard
the confidentiality of the information.
YOUR RIGHTS AS A CLIENT OF PEAK WHEELCHAIRS, LLC
In accordance with HIPAA you have the following rights in relation to
your protected health information:
- You may request, in writing, additional restrictions to the use or
disclosure of your protected health information; however, PEAK WHEELCHAIRS,
LLC is not required to agree to the request for restrictions.
- You have the right to request amendments to your medical record.
- You have the right to obtain a copy of this Notice of Uses.
- You have the right of access to inspect and obtain a copy of your
medical record, subject to certain limitations.
- You have the right to obtain an accounting of disclosures of your
medical record for purposes other than treatment, payment and healthcare
operations.
- You have the right to request communications of your medical record
by alternative means (i.e. electronically) or at alternative locations.
- You have the right to revoke authorization to use or disclose your
protected health information except to the extent that action has already
occurred.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF PEAK WHEELCHAIRS, LLC
In accordance with HIPAA, PEAK WHEELCHAIRS, LLC is required to:
- Maintain the confidentiality of your protected health information.
Your state laws may provide more protection than the federal laws and,
in that case, we will abide by the more restrictive statute.
- Provide you with notice of our legal obligations and privacy practices
regarding information it may accumulate about you and is obligated to
abide by the terms of this notice.
- Notify you if it is unable to agree to a requested restriction, and
make every effort to accommodate reasonable requests for communication
of health information by alternative means.
- Post its Notice of Uses on its web site at www.peakwheelchairs.com
Please be advised that in addition to these responsibilities, PEAK WHEELCHAIRS,
LLC reserves the right to change the terms of its Notice of Uses and make
those changes applicable to all protected health information maintained
at that time. If there is a change to its Notice of Uses, it will provide
you with a revised notice to the most recent address you have supplied
to PEAK WHEELCHAIRS, LLC.
PEAK WHEELCHAIRS, LLC will not use or disclose your protected health
information without your authorization, except as described in this notice.
FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO REPORT A PROBLEM
If you have questions, would like additional information or, if you
suspect misuse of your protected health information and believe that your
rights have been violated, you may, without fear of retaliation, contact:
Privacy Officer C/O Peak Wheelchairs, LLC, 275 Waneka Pkwy, Lafayette,
CO 80026-8873
OR
The Office of Civil Rights U.S. Department of Health & Human
Services 200 Independence Avenue SW Room 509F HHH Building Washington
D.C.
20201.
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