HIPAA Notice

Hamlin Fire & Rescue Company HIPAA Notice

The Hamlin Fire & Rescue Company (DFC) Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP)

This notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can access this information. PLEASE READ IT CAREFULLY.

Hamlin Fire & Rescue is required by law to maintain the privacy of certain confidential health information, known as Protected Health Information (PHI), and to provide you with this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices regarding your PHI. Hamlin Fire & Rescue is also required to follow the terms of the version of this notice currently in effect.

Uses and Disclosures of PHI

Hamlin Fire & Rescue may use PHI for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations without your written permission. Examples include:

1. Treatment:

• Obtaining verbal and written information about your medical condition and treatment from you, your doctors, or nurses.

• Sharing PHI with other healthcare providers involved in your care.

• Transmitting PHI via radio or telephone to hospitals or dispatch centers as necessary for treatment.

2. Payment:

• Activities to obtain reimbursement for services provided, including submitting bills to insurance companies.

• Determining medical necessity and collecting outstanding accounts.

3. Healthcare Operations:

• Quality assurance activities, licensing, and training programs.

• Ensuring personnel meet standards of care and follow policies.

• Other management functions related to running Hamlin Fire & Rescue.

Use and Disclosure of PHI Without Your Authorization

Hamlin Fire & Rescue may use or disclose PHI without your written authorization or opportunity to object in certain situations, unless state law is more restrictive. Examples include:

• For the treatment, payment, or healthcare operations of another healthcare provider treating you.

• For legal and regulatory compliance activities.

• To family members, relatives, or close personal friends involved in your care, if we obtain your verbal agreement or if disclosure is in your best interest.

• To public health authorities as required by law (e.g., to report abuse, neglect, or domestic violence).

• For health oversight activities, including audits, inspections, government investigations, disciplinary proceedings, or other administrative or judicial actions.

• For judicial or administrative proceedings, as required by a court order, subpoena, or other legal process.

• For law enforcement purposes in limited situations, such as responding to a warrant.

• For military, national defense, or other special government functions.

• To prevent a serious threat to the health and safety of a person or the public.

• For workers’ compensation purposes, as required by law.

• To coroners, medical examiners, or funeral directors for identifying a deceased person, determining cause of death, or carrying out their duties.

• If you are an organ donor, to organizations that handle organ, eye, or tissue transplantation or to organ donation banks.

• For research projects, subject to strict oversight and approval.

• In a manner that does not personally identify you.

Any other use or disclosure of PHI will only occur with your written authorization. You may revoke your authorization at any time in writing, except to the extent we have already used or disclosed your medical information in reliance on that authorization.

Patient’s Rights

As a patient, you have the following rights regarding your PHI:

1. Right to Access:

• Inspect and obtain copies of most medical information we maintain about you.

• Requests will normally be fulfilled within 30 days, and a reasonable fee may apply for copying.

• In limited circumstances, access may be denied, and you may appeal certain denials.

2. Right to Amend:

• Request corrections to written medical information we maintain.

• We will respond within 60 days, though some requests may be denied under the law.

3. Right to Accounting:

• Request a record of certain disclosures of your PHI from the past six years.

• Excludes disclosures for treatment, payment, healthcare operations, or disclosures you have already authorized.

4. Right to Request Restrictions:

• Ask us to limit how your PHI is used or disclosed.

• Hamlin Fire & Rescue is not required to agree, but any agreed-upon restrictions are binding.

5. Right to Confidential Communications:

• You may request to receive communications of your PHI in a confidential manner.