Date Effective: January 1, 2011
Family Medicine Associates is committed to providing you with the highest quality care, medical services, and information, while at the same time, protecting your privacy.
We set our privacy and security policies in accordance with the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Following is a brief summary of this law. FMA’s Notice of Privacy Practices form contains more information about this law.
What is the HIPAA Privacy Law?
HIPAA (pronounced “HIP-ahâ€) stands for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. It is a federal law, established in 1996, that gives you rights regarding your health information and establishes rules about and limits to who can look at and receive your health information.
What rights do you have?
You have the right to:
- Ask to see your health records
- Receive a copy of your health records
- Have corrections made to your health information
- Receive a notice that tells you how your health information may be used and shared
- Decide that you want to give your permission before your health information can be used or shared for certain purposes, such as marketing
- Receive a report that explains how, when, and why your health information was shared for certain purposes
If you believe your rights are being denied or your health information isn’t being protected, you can:
- File a complaint with your provider or health insurer
- File a complaint with the U.S. government
You also have the right to ask your provider or health insurer questions about your rights.
To learn more about your rights, including how to file a complaint, visit the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services website at www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/ or call them at 1-866-OCR-PRIV (1-866-627-7748).
Who must follow this law?
- Doctors, nurses, other health care providers, pharmacies, hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and many other health care providers
- Health insurance companies, HMOs, and most employer group health plans
- Certain government programs that pay for health care, such as Medicare and Medicaid
What information does this law protect?
- Information your doctors, nurses, and other health care providers put in your medical record
- Conversations your health care providers have with one another about your care or treatment
- Information about you in your health insurer’s computer system
- Billing information about you from your clinic/health care provider.
- Most other health information about you, held by those who must follow this law
What methods must be taken to protect this information?
- Health care providers and health insurers who are required to follow this law must establish practices and procedures that keep your information private. For example:
- Providers and insurers must make sure their employees are trained to know how your information may and may not be used and shared.
- Providers and insurers must establish appropriate and reasonable procedures to keep your health information secure.
To make sure that your information is protected in a way that does not interfere with your health care, your information can be used and shared:
- For your treatment and care coordination
- To pay doctors and hospitals for your health care
- With your family, relatives, friends or others you specify who are involved with your health care or your health care bills, unless you object
- To protect the public’s health; for example, reporting when cases of flu have occurred in your area
- To make required reports to the police; for example, reporting gunshot wounds
Your health information cannot be used or shared without your written permission unless this law allows it. For example, without your authorization, your provider, in most cases, cannot:
- Give your information to your employer
- Use or share your information for marketing or advertising purposes
- Share private notes about your mental health counseling sessions