HIPAA Notice | C3 HealthcareRx

An Overview

Sharing HIPAA Privacy Practices

This Notice is provided by C³ HealthcareRx (“C³”). C³ is providing this HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices because the privacy of your health information is important to you and to us and to comply with federal regulations. This Notice describes C³’s practices and those of all employees, volunteers and other personnel considered a part of our workforce. By “your health information” we mean information that we maintain that identifies you and relates to your health status. Your health information may be stored in paper, electronic or other form and may be disclosed electronically and by other methods.

Uses and Disclosures that Do Not Require Your Authorization

The following categories describe different ways we use and disclose your health information. For each category of uses or disclosures we will explain what we mean and give some examples. Not every use or disclosure in a category will be listed. However, all of the ways we are permitted to use and disclose information without an authorization will fall within one of the categories. To the extent that there are more stringent state or federal restrictions, we will only use and disclose your health information as permitted by those stricter requirements. We use and disclose your health information:

For treatment – We may use your health information to provide you with medical and behavioral health treatment or services. For example, we use your health information to plan, coordinate, and provide your care. We disclose your health information for treatment purposes to physicians, healthcare facilities, and other health care professionals who are involved in your care.
For payment – We may use and disclose your health information so that the treatment and services you receive may be billed and payment may be collected from you, an insurance company or other third party. For example, we may need to check to see whether you are eligible for coverage under a health plan or disclose to a health plan information about care you received so your health plan will pay us or reimburse you for the care.
For health care operations – We may use and disclose your health information for healthcare operations, which include activities such as evaluating the performance of our workforce, arranging legal services, assessing the quality of care and outcomes in your cases and similar cases, and determining how to improve the quality and effectiveness of the products and services we provide to you. We may use and disclose your health information to contact you to provide information about treatment alternatives or health-related benefits or services that may be of interest to you.

We may also use and disclose your health information in the following circumstances without your written authorization:

To inform family, friends, and others identified by you who are involved in your care, unless you object and incidental disclosures of limited information provided safeguards are in place.
To assist in disaster relief efforts, unless you object.
As required by law, including when requested by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to investigate or determine our compliance with federal privacy requirements.
For public health activities, for example to report communicable diseases or death, including pandemic reporting and surveillance, or for matters involving the Food and Drug Administration.
To report abuse, neglect or domestic violence.
For health oversight activities by a health oversight agency.
For research activities if certain requirements are met, such as Institutional Review Board approval.
For judicial or administrative proceedings, such as responding to a court order or subpoena.
For law enforcement purposes, such as to identify or locate a suspect, fugitive, material witness, or missing person.
To organizations that handle organ procurement or organ, eye or tissue transplantation or to an organ donation bank, as necessary to facilitate organ or tissue donation and transplantation.
To a coroner or medical examiner to assist them with their duties and to funeral directors as necessary to carry out their duties.
To avert a serious threat to your health or safety or that of other individuals or the public.
For specialized government functions such as military or veterans’ affairs, national security, and intelligence activities.
As necessary to comply with laws related to workers’ compensation or similar programs.
To business associates (outside companies that perform services on our behalf and that agree to keep your information confidential).
To Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) that we participate in (if any) for treatment and other lawful purposes.
To create information that is de-identified or, in connection with a data use agreement, to create data sets that remove most identifiers.
Incidental to other permitted disclosures, provided safeguards are in place.

Uses and Disclosures that Require Your Written Authorization

Your written authorization is required if we use or disclose your health information for any other purpose. Subject to compliance with limited exceptions, we will not use or disclose psychotherapy notes, use, or disclose your health information for marketing purposes or sell your health information unless you have signed an authorization. You may revoke an authorization by notifying us in writing, except to the extent we have taken action in reliance on the authorization.

Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information

If you have given another individual a medical power of attorney, if another individual is appointed as our legal guardian or if another individual is authorized by law to make health care decisions for you (known as a “personal representative”), that individual may exercise any of the rights listed in this section for you.

Right to Request Restrictions – You have the right to request restrictions on our uses and disclosures of your health information; however we may refuse to accept the restriction. If you pay for a health care service or item out of pocket in full, you can ask us not to share that information with your health insurer for the purposes of payment or health care operations, and we will honor that request unless a law requires us to disclose that information.
Right to Request Confidential Communications – You have the right to request that we communicate with you confidentially, for example to speak with you only in private; to send mail to an address you designate; or to telephone you at a number you designate. We will honor reasonable requests.
Right to Request Access – You have the right to request to see or get an electronic or paper copy of your health information or direct us to send a copy of your health information to another person designated by you. Your request must be in writing. In most cases, we will provide this access to you or the person you designated within 30 days of your request. We may charge you a reasonable, cost-based fee for labor, supplies and/or postage consistent with applicable laws. We may deny your request and, if so, you may request a review of the denial.
Right to Request an Amendment – You have the right to request an amendment to your health information. Your request must be in writing and must provide a reason for the amendment. We may deny your request and, if so, you may submit a statement of disagreement.
Right to Request an Accounting of Disclosures – You have the right to request an accounting of our disclosures for the 6 years prior to your request, other than those excluded from the accounting obligation, such as disclosures we make pursuant to an authorization.
Right to Obtain a Paper Copy of This Notice – You have the right to receive a paper copy of this Notice, even if you have previously agreed to receive it electronically.

To exercise any of these rights please contact our Privacy Official at the address or phone number listed at the end of this Notice.

Our Duties in Protecting Your Health Information

We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your health information.
We are required by law to inform patients or their legal representatives of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to health information. This notice discharges that duty.
We must abide by the terms of the notice currently in effect.
We reserve the right to change the terms of this notice and to make the new notice provisions effective for all health information that we maintain. At any time, you may obtain a copy of the current notice from our Privacy Official. We will post a copy of the current notice on our website.
We are required by law to notify you if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security if your information.

Complaints, Contact Person, Effective Date, and Acknowledgement

You may complain to us and to the Secretary of Health and Human Services if you believe your privacy rights have been violated at 200 Independence Ave. S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201, by phone at (877) 696-6775 or e-mail to OCRComplaint@hhs.gov.

You will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint.

To file a complaint with us or to exercise any of your rights as described in this notice, you may contact our Privacy Official at:

C³ HealthcareRx
Attn: Privacy Official
1001 Aviation Parkway
Morrisville, NC 27560
Phone: (919) 341-3832