HIPAA Privacy Statement
Notice Of Privacy Practices
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL
INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND
HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION.
New Concepts for Living, Inc. (NCFL)
and Disabled Children's Foundation of New Jersey respect
you and your privacy. We are committed to keeping
all information received or created confidential.
We want you to have a clear understanding
of how we use and safeguard information about you.
This Notice of Privacy Practices describes how we
may use and disclose your protected health information
in order to carry out services, voucher for payment
and for other purposes permitted or required by law.
It also describes your rights to access and control
your information.
We are required by law to maintain
the privacy of your protected health information and
to provide you with notice of the legal duties and
privacy practices with respect to your protected health
information.
Health information means any information,
whether oral or recorded in any form, that is created
or received by New Concepts, relates to the past,
present or future physical, mental health or condition
of an individual, the provision of health care to
an individual, or the past, present or future payment
for the provision of health care to an individual.
How Your Protected Health Information May Be Used
or Disclosed
New Concepts uses protected health
information about you for services, payment and regular
health care operation purposes. We do not require
authorization to use your protected health information
for these purposes.
Services
Providing you with care and services related to your
health, such as working with other agencies involved
with the delivery of services. New Concepts is members
of the Oneida County Mental Health Network and may
exchange information for the purposes of coordinating
services.
Payment
Information needed for billing, insurance, or compensation
for services, if necessary. We may provide necessary
portions of your protected health information to our
billing department and to your health plan to get
paid/reimbursed for the services we provide to you.
Regular Health Care Operations
Activities that may include quality assessment, program
evaluation and auditing.
Emergency Care
To help you obtain treatment in a medical emergency.
An authorization is required as soon as reasonably
possible after the emergency and the provider should
document the reasons as to why the authorization could
not be received.
When Legally Necessary
If required by federal, state or local law. We may
make disclosures when a law requires that we report
information to government agencies or law enforcement
personnel about victims of abuse, neglect, domestic
violence or to avoid serious threat to health or safety
of a person or the public.
We may provide protected health information
to a family member, friend or other person that you
indicate is involved in your services or the payment
for your services unless you object, in whole or in
part. The opportunity to consent may be obtained retroactively
in emergency situations.
ALL OTHER USES AND DISCLOSURES REQUIRE
YOUR PRIOR WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION.
IN ADDITION, ANY ALCOHOL OR SUBSTANCE
ABUSE RECORDS ARE PROTECTED UNDER FEDERAL REGULATIONS
GOVERNING CONFIDENTIALITY. (42CFR Part II)
ANY HIV RECORDS ARE PROTECTED UNDER
PUBLIC HEALTH LAW GOVERNING CONFIDENTIALITY. (Article
27-F)
When New Concepts May Not Use or Disclose Your Health
Information
Except as described in this Notice
of Privacy Practices, we will not use or disclose
your health information without your written authorization.
If you do authorize us to use or disclose your health
information for another purpose, you may revoke your
authorization in writing at any time.
Your Health Information
Rights
- You have the right to inspect
and obtain a copy of your health information.
- You have the right to request restrictions on certain
uses and disclosures of your health information. We
are not required to agree to the requested restriction.
- You have a right to request that we amend your health
information. An amendment can only be granted if the
information requested to be amended is created by
New Concepts.
- You have a right to receive an accounting of disclosures
of your health information. This will not include
any dates before April 13, 2003 and cannot be longer
than six years from this date.
- You have a right to receive confidential communications
of protected health information and the manner in
which it is sent to you. Within reason, you have the
right to ask that we send information to you at an
alternate address (such as requesting that we send
information to your work address rather than your
home address) or by alternate means (such as by regular
mail versus e-mail, if such methods are reasonably
available).
- You have a right to a paper copy of this Notice
of Privacy Practices. You will be asked to sign an
Acknowledgement of Receipt of this Notice.
- You have a right to complain if you believe your
privacy rights have been violated or if you are dissatisfied
with the services you are receiving. You will not
be punished in any way for filing a complaint. (Please
refer to our Complaint Form for information regarding
internal and/or external complaints.)
New Concepts will provide you with
any or all of the form(s) upon your request.
Changes to This Notice of Privacy Practices
We are bound by the terms of this
notice currently in effect and reserve the right to
amend this Notice of Privacy Practices at any time
in the future. If such amendment is made, all individuals
currently active in our programs will be provided
a revised Notice of Privacy Practices by mail or at
their next scheduled meeting.
If you have any questions regarding
this notice or need further information please contact
Janet Constabile, Compliance Officer at (315) 797-4642,
Ext. 269 or by writing to:
Janet Constabile, Compliance Officer
RCIL
PO Box 210
Utica, NY 13503-0210.
