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HIPAA Policy

HIPAA NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

I. THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.

II. IT IS OUR LEGAL DUTY TO SAFEGUARD YOUR PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION (PHI).

By law, Cope Recovery is required to ensure that your PHI is kept private. The PHI constitutes information created or noted by us that can be used to identify you. It contains data about your past, present, or future health or condition, the provision of health care services to you, or the payment for such health care.

We are required to provide you with this Notice about our privacy procedures. This Notice must explain when, why, and how we would use and/or disclose your PHI. Use of PHI means when we share, apply, utilize, examine, or analyze information throughout the course of your treatment. PHI is disclosed when we release, transfer, give, or otherwise reveal it to a third party outside of Cope Recovery.

With some exceptions, we may not use or disclose more of your PHI than is necessary to accomplish the purpose for which the use or disclosure is made; however, we are always legally required to follow the privacy practices described in this Notice.

Please note that we reserve the right to change the terms of this Notice and our privacy policies at any time as permitted by law. Any changes will apply to PHI already on file with us. Before we make any important changes to our policies, we will immediately change this Notice and post a new copy of it in the office and online. You may also request a copy of this Notice from us.

III. HOW WE WILL USE AND DISCLOSE YOUR PHI We will use and disclose your PHI for many different reasons. Some of the uses or disclosures will require your prior written authorization; others, however, will not. Below you will find the different categories of our uses and disclosures, with some examples.

A. Uses and Disclosures Related to Treatment, Payment, or Health Care Operations Do Not Require Your Prior Written Consent.

We may use and disclose your PHI without your consent for the following reasons:

  1. For treatment.
    We can use your PHI within Cope Recovery to provide you with mental health treatment, including discussing or sharing your PHI with staff members, your physicians, psychiatrist, psychologist, and other licensed health care providers who provide you with health care services or are otherwise involved in your care.

    • Example: If a psychiatrist is treating you, we may disclose your PHI to her/him in order to coordinate your care.
  2. For health care operations.
    We may disclose your PHI to facilitate the efficient and correct operation of daily operations.

    • Examples: Quality control – we might use your PHI in the evaluation of the quality of health care services that you have received or to evaluate the performance of the health care professionals who provided you with these services. We may also provide your PHI to our attorneys, accountants, consultants, and others to make sure that we are in compliance with applicable laws.
  3. To obtain payment for treatment.
    We may use and disclose your PHI to bill and collect payment for the treatment and services we provided you.

    • Example: We might send your PHI to your insurance company or health plan in order to get payment for the health care services that we have provided to you. We could also provide your PHI to business associates, such as billing companies, claims processing companies, and others that process health care claims for our company.
  4. Other disclosures.
    • Example: Your consent isn't required if you need emergency treatment. Part of the admissions packet contained a Release for Emergency Medical Treatment which will be utilized in an instance of medical emergency.

B. Certain Other Uses and Disclosures Do Not Require Your Consent.

We may use and/or disclose your PHI without your consent or authorization for the following reasons:

  1. When disclosure is required by federal, state, or local law, judicial, board, or administrative proceedings, or law enforcement.
  2. If disclosure is compelled by a party to a proceeding before a court or an administrative agency pursuant to its lawful authority.
  3. If disclosure is required by a search warrant lawfully issued to a governmental law enforcement agency.
  4. If disclosure is compelled by the patient or the patient’s representative pursuant to California Health and Safety Codes or to corresponding federal statutes or regulations, such as the Privacy Rule that requires this Notice.
  5. To avoid harm. We may provide PHI to law enforcement personnel or persons able to prevent or mitigate a serious threat to the health or safety of a person or the public.
  6. If disclosure is mandated by the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting law or California Elder/Dependent Adult Abuse Reporting law when we have a reasonable suspicion of abuse.
  7. For public health activities, health oversight activities, specific government functions, research purposes, Workers' Compensation purposes, and appointment reminders.

C. Certain Uses and Disclosures Afford You the Opportunity to Object.

  1. Disclosures to family, friends, or others.
    We may provide your PHI to a family member, friend, or other individual who you indicate is involved in your care or responsible for the payment for your health care unless you object in whole or in part. Retroactive consent may be obtained in emergency situations.

D. Other Uses and Disclosures Require Your Prior Written Authorization.

In any other situation not described in Sections IIIA, IIIB, and IIIC above, we will request your written authorization before using or disclosing any of your PHI. Even if you have signed an authorization to disclose your PHI, you may later revoke that authorization, in writing, to stop any future uses and disclosures.

IV. WHAT RIGHTS YOU HAVE REGARDING YOUR PHI

These are your rights with respect to your PHI:

  • The Right to See and Get Copies of Your PHI
  • The Right to Request Limits on Uses and Disclosures of Your PHI
  • The Right to Choose How We Send Your PHI to You
  • The Right to Get a List of the Disclosures We Have Made
  • The Right to Amend Your PHI
  • The Right to Get This Notice by Email

You can also request a copy of our Notice at any time. For more information about our privacy policies, contact info@coperecovery.com or reach us by mail or phone at 818-318-0202.

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