BitCare Technologies Inc. is a management services organization. All clinical services are provided by BitCare affiliated professional corporations. All clinical services are provided by BitCare affiliated professional corporations. In providing testing services though its laboratory partners, BitCare receives, creates and discloses personal health information. This information is private and confidential. There are policies and procedures in place to protect the information against unlawful use and disclosure. This notice describes information we collect, how we use that information, and when and to whom we may disclose it.
Protected health information or “PHI” (also called “personal health information”), is current, past or future information created or received by BitCare from physicians about patients for whom testing is ordered from BitCare. It may indicate the physical condition of a patient, the provision of health care to that patient, or payment for the provision of health care to that patient. The term PHI does not generally include publicly available information, or information available or reported in a summarized format.
We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information.
We will let you know promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information.
We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in this notice and give you a copy of it (or other notice in effect at the time of the use or disclosure).
We will not use or share your information other than as described here unless you tell us we can in writing. If you tell us we can, you may change your mind at any time. Let us know in writing if you change your mind.
BitCare collects the information that is minimally necessary to provide testing services and to obtain payment for these services. This may include name, address, telephone number, social security number, date of birth, medical history, diagnosis, treatment, provider identification and treatment information, financial responsibility and payment information.
Our use and disclosure of PHI must comply not only with federal privacy regulations but also with applicable Texas law. Access to PHI is restricted to only those employees of BitCare who need it in order to provide services to clients and patients. We maintain physical, technical and procedural safeguards to protect PHI against unauthorized use and disclosure. We have a Compliance Officer who is responsible for developing, educating BitCare personnel about, and overseeing the implementation and enforcement of policies and procedures designed to safeguard PHI against inappropriate use and disclosure consistent with the applicable law.
In the following cases we never share your information unless you give us written permission:
How else can we use or share your health information?
For more information see:
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/index.html
In the course of providing laboratory services, BitCare uses PHI internally and discloses it to health care providers (providers requesting services, laboratory personnel involved in ordering services and other caregivers), insurers, third party administrators, plan sponsors and other payors (employers, health care provider organizations and others who may be responsible for paying for or administering your health benefits); vendors, consultants, government authorities; and their respective agents. They are required by law to keep PHI confidential. Some examples of what we do with the information we collect and the reasons it might be disclosed to third parties are described below.
We may use or disclose PHI with or without your consent to provide health care services. Examples of these uses and disclosures include:
If you have given someone medical power of attorney or if someone is your legal guardian, that person can exercise your rights and make choices about your health information. We will make sure the person has this authority and can act for you before we take action.
In any communication with us, please provide your name, address, patient identification number or Social Security number, and a telephone number where we can reach you in case we need to contact you about your request.
When it comes to your health information, you have certain rights. This section explains your rights and some of our responsibilities to help you.
Ask us to limit what we use or share: You have a right to ask us in writing to restrict use or disclosure of your PHI related to your treatment, related to your payment or related to routine health care operations. We will honor our agreement except in case of an emergency. Any restriction we agree to is not effective to prevent uses or disclosures of PHI required by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to investigate or determine our compliance with federal privacy regulations adopted under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 or for certain activities permitted or required by law (see Section V above).
If you pay for a service out-of-pocket in full, you can ask us not to share that information for the purpose of payment or our operations with your health insurer.
We will provide a copy of a summary of your health information, usually within 30 days of your request. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee.
This notice describes the privacy policy of BitCare effective 11/01/2017. We may change the terms of this notice at any time. If we change this notice, we may make the new notice terms effective for all PHI that we maintain, including any information created or received prior to issuing the new notice. If we change this notice, we will post the new notice on our Internet site at ./privacy-notice/.
As a convenience, BitCare may make available email addresses by which you can communicate with us regarding billing issues. Please be advised that email is not a secure means of communication, therefore BitCare cannot guarantee the security of any information that you send to us prior to our receipt of it. This fact may also restrict our use of email in communicating any response to you – we will make every attempt to use alternate means of communicating anything that may be considered sensitive information.
File a complaint if you feel your rights are violated. If you have questions about the Notice of Privacy Practices, or believe its terms or any BitCare privacy or confidentiality policy has been violated with respect to information about you, please let us know immediately by contacting us at +1-800-551-3248 and request the Compliance Officer. Please include your name, address, and a telephone number where we can contact you, and a brief description of the complaint. If you prefer, you may lodge an anonymous complaint.
Compliance Officer
BitCare
5700 Tennyson Parkway, Suite 300
Plano TX 75024
United States
You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights by sending a letter to:
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201
Or, by calling:
1-877-696-6775
Or, visiting www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/
We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
Please provide as much information as possible so that the complaint can be properly investigated. BitCare will not retaliate against a person who files a complaint with us or with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
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BitCare © 2023. All Rights Reserved.
BitCare © 2023 . All Rights Reserved.