TLC HomeCare

Notice of Privacy Practices 

 PLEASE REVIEW CAREFULLY.

 Uses and Disclosures

Treatment.  Your health information may be used by staff members or disclosed to other health care professionals for the purpose of evaluating your health, diagnosing medical conditions, and providing treatment.  Fore example, results of laboratory tests and procedures will be available in your medical record to all health professionals who may provide treatment or who may be consulted by staff members.

Payment.  Your health information may be used to seek payment from your health plan, from other sources of coverage such as an automobile insurer, or from credit card companies that you may use to pay for services.  For example, your health plan may request and receive information on dates of service, the services provided, and the medical condition  being treated.

Health care operations.  Your health information may be used as necessary to support the day-to-day activities and management of TLC HomeCare.  For example, information on the services you received may be used to support budgeting and financial reporting, and activities to evaluate and promote quality.

Law enforcement.  Your health information may be disclosed to law enforcement agencies, without your permission, to support government audits and inspections, to facilitate law-enforcement investigations, and to comply with government mandated reporting.

Public health reporting.  Your health information may be disclosed to public health agencies as required by law.  For example, we are required to report certain communicable diseases to the state's public health department.

Other uses and disclosures require your authorization.  Disclosure of your health information or its use for any purpose other than those listed above requires your specific written authorization.  If you change your mind after authorizing a use or disclosure of your information you may submit a written revocation of the authorization.  However, your decision to revoke the authorization will not affect or undo any use or disclosure of information that occurred before you notified us of your decision.

Additional Uses of Information

Appointment reminders.  Your health information will be used by our staff to send you appointment reminders.

Information about treatments.  Your health information may be used to send you information on the treatment and management of your medical condition that you may find to be of interest.  We may also send you information describing other health-related goods and service that we believe may interest you.

Fund raising.  Unless you request us not to, we will use your name and address to support our fund raising efforts.  If you do not want to participate in fund raising efforts, please check off the following box.

o  Please do not use my information for fund raising purposes.

Individual Rights     

You have certain rights under the federal privacy standards.  These include:

·        The right to request restrictions on the use and disclosure of your protected health information

·        The right to receive confidential communications concerning your medical condition and treatment

·        The right to inspect and copy your protected health information

·        The right to amend or submit corrections to your protected health information

·        The right to receive an accounting of how and to whom your protected health information has been disclosed

·        The right to receive a printed copy of this notice

TLC HomeCare Duties

We are required by law to maintain the privacy of your protected health information and to provide you with this notice of privacy practices.

We also are required to abide by the privacy policies and practices that are outlines in this notice.

Right to Revise Privacy Practices

As permitted by law, we reserve the right to amend or modify our privacy policies and practices.  These changes in our policies and practices may be required by changes n federal and state laws and regulations.  Whatever the reason for these revisions, we will provide you with a revised notice on your next office visit.  The revised policies and practices will be applied to all protected health information that we maintain.

Requests to Inspect

Protected Health Information

As permitted by federal regulation, we require that requests to inspect or copy protected health information be submitted in writing.  You may obtain a form to request access to your records by contacting Office Manager or Chief Financial Officer who is the HIPAA Compliance Officer.