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Rights to Consumer and Employee Health Information Privacy Effective June 1, 2006 Notice of Privacy Practices This notice describes how health and information about you may be used and disclosed. It also describes how you can get access to this information. You or your representative have a right to request a copy of this notice at any time regardless if you have received it in the past. To obtain a copy you can contact the HIPAA Privacy Officer at 1-800-382-8484 ext. 26. IL Services - Consumer Rights In the delivery of IL services consumers are not required to provide specific health information in order to receive services. Consumers may share information on specific health insurance in conversation on occassion and this may be noted in a case note. In general information received from consumers is considered internal agency information. In the very unique situation where services being delivered are related specifically to or focused on an individual's health information, this is noted in a release of information which is signed by the individual consumers. Business Associates - Employee Rights It is the policy of MILC not to take any health enrollment information or other health information from our employee's related to group coverage. Obtaining, maintaining and updating of this information are the responsibility of the provider. It is also the responsibility of the employee to communicate directly with the provider related to their individual coverage. HIPAA policies for all providers are on file. Medical information may be kept on file regarding an employee's health status, in cases where it is necessary for the request or administration of Family Medical Leave, disability benefits, Workers Compensation or Reasonable Accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act. When medical information is retained for an employee, it will be kept in a separate, confidential file in a secure area. Only those authorized to access the information for the purposes of legal, employment or benefit administration will be allowed to review the file contents on an as-needed basis. Medical Assistance Personal Care Billing HIPAA policies and contracts for Brotoloc, Petersen Community Care LLC, and Opportunity Inc., are included in the HIPAA binder. Under these contracts these agencies recognize and acknowledge that they are receiving and sharing medical information for consumers related to Medical Assistance billing. MILC will verify that appropriate HIPAA policies have been signed by consumers/guardians. Internal Records Internal records will be kept in a locked file at all times when not in use. Staff is not allowed to hold consumers files at their desk area and are required to file each folder back at the end of their work shift. Personal Care Program MILC may provide health information to provide care to you and disclose your health information to others who provide care to you. MILC may also disclose health information to individuals who you have signed a written release for such as family members, suppliers of medical equipment or other care professionals. MILC may include you health information in invoices to collect payment from third parties for the care you may receive from MILC. For example, MILC may be required by our health insurer to provide information regarding you health care status so that the insurer will reimburse MILC. MILC may also need to obtain prior approval from your insurer and may need to explain to the insurer you need for health care and services that will be provided for you. MILC may disclose health information for its own operation in order to facilitate the function of MILC need as necessary to provide quality care to all of MILC's consumers. Health care operations include activities such as: Health care assessments, independent living assessments or training other health care professionals. When legally required, MILC will disclose you health information for the following public activities and purposes to prevent disease, injury or disability, report disease injury, vital events such as birth or death and conduct public health investigations and interviews. To notify a person who has been exposed to a communicable disease or who may be at risk of contracting or spreading a disease. MILC may disclose health information in compliance with Worker's Compensation laws. To report abuse, neglect or domestic violence MILC will notify government authorities if MILC believes a patient is the victim of abuse, neglect or domestic violence. MILC will make this disclosure only when specifically required or authorized by law or when the patient agrees to the disclosure. MILC may disclose health information to health oversight agencies for activities including audits, civil, administrative or criminal complaints investigations, inspections licensure or disciplinary action. MILC will not disclose health information if you are not the subject of an investigation and the investigation does not arise out of or is not directly related to your recipient of health care or public health benefits. As permitted and required by State law, MILC may disclose you health information in the course of judicial or administrative proceeding in response to an order of a court or administrative tribunal as authorized by such order or in response to a subpeona, discovery request or other lawful process, but only when MILC makes reasonable efforts to notify you about the request or to obtain an order protecting your health information. As permitted and required by law, MILC may disclose health information to law enforcement official for certain law enforcement purposes, including, under certain limited circumstances, if you are victim of crime or in order to report a crime. MILC may disclose you health information consistent with applicable law and ethical standards and conduct if MILC believes that such disclosure is necessary to prevent or lesson a serious and imminent threat to you health or safety or to the health and safety of the public. AUTHORIZATION TO USE OR DISCLOSE YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION Other than stated above, MILC will not disclose you health information other than with your written authorization. If you or your representative authorizes MILC to use or disclose your health information, you may revoke that authorization in writing at any time. RIGHT TO INSPECT AND COPY YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION You have the right to inspect and copy your health information, including billing records. A request to inspect and copy records containing health information may be made to the HIPAA Privacy Officer at 1-800-382-8484. If you request a copy of your health information MILC may charge a reasonable fee for copying and assembling costs associated with you request. RIGHT TO AMEND YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION You or your representative has the right to request that MILC amend you records if you believe your health information records are incorrect or incomplete. This request must be made in writing. This request can be made to MILC, HIPAA Privacy Officer, 3262 Church Street, Suite1, Stevens Point, WI 54481. TO FILE A COMPLAINT If you are concerned that your privacy rights may have been violated or you disagree with a decision that MILC has made you may contact the HIPAA Privacy Officer at 1-800-382-8484 ext. 26. We reserve the right to change our privacy practices and the terms of this notice at any time, provided such changes are permitted by applicable law. If we change our privacy practices, we will issue a revised Notice of Privacy Practices. Those changes may apply to any of you protected health information that we maintain. |
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