Ask for us by name

VNA HEALTH AT HOME, INC.

NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL/HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.

We are required by law to maintain the privacy of your health information; to provide you this detailed Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices relating to your health information; and to abide by the terms of the Notice that are currently in effect.

Parties who will follow this Notice include employees, volunteers, contracted entities who may have access to medical records as part of their responsibility, and affiliates of VNA Health at Home, including: Access Rehab Centers, LLC, Alliance Medical Group Inc., Cardiology Associates of Greater Waterbury, LLC, Waterbury Hospital, Greater Waterbury Management Resources, Inc., Valley Imaging Partners, LLC, The Harold Leever Regional Cancer Center, Inc., Greater Waterbury Imaging Center, LLP,  Imaging Partners, LLC, and the Heart Center of Greater Waterbury, Inc. who provide treatment at Waterbury Hospital.  However, none of your confidential information will be shared with these organizations unless they are a provider of treatment, referred to be a provider of treatment, if it relates to issues involving payment, or for any other reason allowed by law.

I.         USES AND DISCLOSURES FOR TREATMENT, PAYMENT AND HEALTH CARE OPERATIONS

VNA Health at Home may use or disclose your protected health information (“PHI”) without your consent for the limited purposes of treatment, payment and health care operations.

For Treatment.  We will use and disclose your PHI in providing you with treatment and services and coordinating your care and may disclose your PHI to other providers involved in your care, such as  doctors,  nurses, home health aides, physical therapists, pharmacists, suppliers of medical equipment or other persons involved in your care.

For Payment.  We may use and disclose your PHI for billing and payment purposes.  We may disclose your PHI to an insurance or managed care company, Medicare, Medicaid, self-funded or another third party payor for paying or processing payment for any portion of your bill for service. 

For Health Care Operations.  We may use and disclose your PHI as necessary for health care operations, such as management, personnel evaluation, education and training and to monitor our quality of care.  We may disclose your PHI to another entity with which you have or had a relationship if that entity requests your information for certain of its health care operations or health care fraud and abuse detection or compliance activities.

II.  SPECIFIC USES AND DISCLOSURES OF YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION

The following lists various ways in which we may use or disclose your PHI, without your consent, which include: 1) use in the facility directory; 2) to individuals involved in your care or payment for your care; 3) to business associates; 4) for emergency situations; 5) where there is a language barrier; 6) as required by law; 7) for public health activities; 8) to report victims of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence;  9) for health oversight activities; 10) to avert a serious threat to health or safety; 11) for judicial and administrative proceedings; 12) for law enforcement purposes; 13) for research purposes; 14) to coroners, medical examiners, funeral directors, organ procurement organizations; 15) disaster relief; 16) military, veterans, and other specific government functions; 17) workers’ compensation; 18) inmates/law enforcement custody; 19) fundraising activities; 20) marketing; 21) appointment reminders; 22) treatment alternatives and health-related benefits and services; 23) minors; and 24) marketing. 

III.    USES AND DISCLOSURES WITH YOUR AUTHORIZATION

Except as described in this Notice, we will use and disclose your PHI only with your written Authorization.  When you sign our Permission to Release Health Information for Purposes of Treatment, Payment or Health Care Operations form, you allow us to use and disclose your health information for treatment, payment and health care operations.  You may revoke an Authorization in writing at any time. If you revoke an Authorization, we will no longer use or disclose your PHI for the purposes covered by that Authorization, except where we have already relied on your original Authorization.

IV.    YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION

Listed below are your rights regarding your PHI.  These rights may be exercised by submitting a request to the Agency.  Each of these rights is subject to certain requirements, limitations and exceptions.  At your request, the Agency will supply you with the appropriate form to complete.  You have the right to:

Request Restrictions.  You have the right to request restrictions on our use and disclosure of your PHI for treatment, payment, or health care operations.  You have the right to request restrictions on the PHI we disclose about you to a family member, friend or other person who is involved in your care or the payment for your care.  We are not required to agree to your requested restriction (except that if you are competent you may restrict disclosures to family members and friends).   If we do agree to your requested restriction, we will comply with your request except as needed to provide you with emergency treatment or in accordance with applicable law.  However, if you paid out-of-pocket in full for a health care item or service, and you do not want us to disclose PHI about that item or service to your health plan, we must comply with your request.

Access to Personal Health Information.  You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your medical and billing records and other information that may be used to make decisions about your care, subject to some exceptions.  Your request must be in writing.  In most cases we may charge a fee for our costs in providing the requested information, consistent with applicable law. 

To the extent we maintain an electronic health record with respect to your PHI, you also have the right to receive an electronic copy of such information, and to direct us to transmit an electronic copy directly to a third-party designated by you.  We may charge a fee, consistent with applicable law, for our labor costs in responding to your request.

Request Amendment.  You have the right to request amendment of your PHI for as long as the information is kept by or for the Agency.  Your request must be made in writing and must state the reason for the requested amendment.  We may deny your request for amendment if the information (a) was not created by the Agency, unless the originator of the information is no longer available to act on your request; (b) is not part of the PHI maintained by or for the Agency; (c) is not part of the information to which you have a right of access; or (d) is already accurate and complete, as determined by the Agency.

If we deny your request for amendment, we will give you a written denial including the reasons for the denial and an explanation of your right to submit a written statement disagreeing with the denial.

Request an Accounting of Disclosures.  You have the right to request an “accounting” of certain disclosures of your PHI.  This is a listing of disclosures made by the Agency or by others on our behalf, but this does not include disclosures for treatment, payment and health care operations and certain other exceptions.  To request an accounting of disclosures, you must submit a request in writing, stating a time period beginning after April 13, 2003 that is within six years from the date of your request.  The first accounting provided within a 12-month period will be free; for further requests, we may charge you our costs.

Request a Paper Copy of This Notice.  You have the right to obtain a paper copy of this Notice, even if you have agreed to receive this Notice electronically.  You may request a copy of this Notice at any time.  [In addition, you may obtain a copy of this Notice at our website, www.vnahealthathome.org.]

Request Confidential Communications.  You have the right to request that we communicate with you concerning your health matters in a certain manner.  We will accommodate your reasonable requests.

Connecticut Law or HIPAA/HITECH

Connecticut state law may provide you with greater protection that the HIPAA and HITECH.  In situations where this is the case, VNA Health At Home will be in compliance with the applicable Connecticut law.

V.  SPECIAL RULES REGARDING DISCLOSURE OF PSYCHIATRIC, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, HIV-RELATED INFORMATION, AND GENETIC TESTING INFORMATION

For disclosures concerning health information relating to case for behavioral health (psychiatric) conditions, substance abuse, genetic testing or HIV-related testing and treatment, special rules may apply and a separate medical records release may be required.          

VI.     FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR TO FILE A COMPLAINT

If you have any questions about this Notice, would like further information concerning your privacy rights, or to file a complaint please contact the Privacy Officer of VNA Health at Home, 27 Siemon Company Drive, Watertown, CT  06795, Telephone: 860-274-7531.

If you believe that your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint in writing with the Agency or with the Office for Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

To file a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights, send your written complaint to the OCR Regional Manager by mail to Office for Civil Rights--Region I, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, J.F. Kennedy Federal Building - Room 1875, Boston, MA 02203, by fax to (617) 565-3809 or by email to OCRComplaint@hhs.gov

This Notice amends the present April 14, 2003 Notice and is effective November 15, 2010

If you wish to review a more detailed version of this Policy or have any questions regarding this Notice, please contact the Privacy Officer of VNA Health at Home at (860) 274-7531.