Notice of Privacy Practices

Bundle Birth, A Nursing Corporation

Policy

Bundle Birth is committed to maintaining and protecting the confidentiality of an individual’s PHI. Bundle Birth is required by federal and state law, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”), to protect an individual’s PHI and other personal information. Bundle Birth is providing this Notice of Privacy Practices to inform the individual about Bundle Birth’s policies, safeguards, and practices aimed at protecting and handling PHI. When Bundle Birth uses or discloses an individual’s PHI, Bundle Birth is bound by the terms of this Notice of Privacy Practices, or the revised notice of Privacy Practices, if applicable.

Bundle Birth’s obligations:

• Maintain the privacy of PHI (with certain exceptions).
• Give the individual this notice of the Bundle Birth legal duties and privacy practices regarding health information about the individual.
• Follow the terms of this Bundle Birth Notice of Privacy Practices.

Roles and Responsibilities

• The Privacy Officer is responsible for updating, reviewing, and maintaining this policy.
• The Administrative Coordinator is responsible for posting a copy of Bundle Birth’s current Notice of Privacy at the Bundle Birth office.
• The Administrative Coordinator is responsible for making sure all clients have a printed or email copy of this policy.
• The Administrative Coordinator is responsible for sending information regarding changes to this policy via email with an explanation of how they can obtain a new copy.

Procedures

How Bundle Birth may use and disclose PHI:

The following describes the ways Bundle Birth may use and disclose PHI. Except for the purposes described below, Bundle Birth will use and disclose PHI only with the individual’s written permission. The individual may revoke such permission at any time by writing to Bundle Birth’s Compliance Team at business@bundlebirth.com.

• For Treatment
  • Bundle Birth may use and disclose PHI for the individual’s services. For example, Bundle Birth may disclose PHI to doctors, nurses, technicians, or other personnel, including people outside Bundle Birth, who are involved in the individual’s medical care, and need the information to provide the individual with medical care.
• For Payment
  • If applicable, Bundle Birth may use and disclose PHI so that Bundle Birth or others may bill and receive payment from the individual, an insurance company, or third party for the treatment and services the individual received.
• For Health Care Operations
  • Bundle Birth may use and disclose PHI for health care operation purposes. For example, Bundle Birth may share information with doctors, residents, nurses, technicians, clerks, and other personnel for quality assurance and educational purposes. Bundle Birth also may share information with other entities that have a relationship with the individual (for example, the individual’s insurance company and anyone other than the individual who pays for the individual’s services) for the individual’s healthcare operation activities.
• Third Parties Involved in an Individual’s Care or Payment for an Individual’s Care
  • When appropriate, Bundle Birth may share PHI with a person who is involved in the individual’s medical care or payment for the individual’s care, such as the individual’s family or a close friend. Bundle Birth also may notify the individual’s family about the individual’s location or general condition or disclose such information to an entity (such as the Red Cross) assisting in a disaster relief effort.
• Research
  • Under certain circumstances, Bundle Birth may use and disclose PHI for research. For example, a research project may involve comparing the health of patients who received one treatment to those who received another, for the same condition. Bundle Birth will generally ask for the individual’s written authorization before using the individual’s PHI or sharing it with others to conduct research. Under limited circumstances, Bundle Birth may use and disclose PHI for research purposes without the individual’s permission. Before Bundle Birth uses or discloses PHI for research without the individual’s permission, the project will go through a special approval process to ensure that the research conducted poses minimal risk to the individual’s privacy. The individual’s information will be de-identified. Researchers may contact the individual to see if the individual is interested in or eligible to participate in a study.

Special Situations:

• As Required by Law
  • Bundle Birth will disclose PHI when required to do so by international, federal, state, or local law.
• To Avert a Serious Threat to Health or Safety
  • Bundle Birth may use and disclose PHI when necessary to prevent a serious threat to the individual’s health and safety or the health and safety of others. Disclosures, however, will be made only to someone who may be able to help prevent or respond to the threat, such as law enforcement or a potential victim. For example, Bundle Birth may need to disclose information to law enforcement when a patient reveals participation in a violent crime.
• Business Associates
  • Bundle Birth may disclose PHI to Bundle Birth’s business associates that perform functions on Bundle Birth’s behalf or provide Bundle Birth with services if the information is necessary for such functions or services. For example, Bundle Birth may use another company to perform billing services on Bundle Birth’s behalf. All of Bundle Birth’s business associates are obligated to protect the privacy of the individual’s information and are not allowed to use or disclose any information other than as specified in our contract.
• Lawsuits and Disputes
  • If an individual is involved in a lawsuit or a dispute, Impulse Dynamic may disclose PHI in response to a court or administrative order. Bundle Birth also may disclose PHI in response to a subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful request by someone else involved in the request or to allow the individual to obtain an order protecting the information requested.
• Law Enforcement
  • Bundle Birth may release PHI if asked by a law enforcement official if the information is:
    • (1) in response to a court order, subpoena, warrant, summons or similar process;
    • (2) limited to information to identify or locate a suspect, fugitive, material witness, or missing person;
    • (3) about the victim of a crime even if, under certain very limited circumstances, Bundle Birth is unable to obtain the individual’s agreement;
    • (4) about a death that Bundle Birth believes may be the result of criminal conduct;
    • (5) about criminal conduct on Bundle Birth’s premises; and
    • (6) in an emergency to report a crime, the location of the crime or victims, or the identity, description or location of the person who committed the crime.

Uses and Disclosures that Require Bundle Birth to Give the Individual an Opportunity to Object/Opt-Out

• Third Parties involved in the Individual’s Care or Payment for Individual’s Care
  • Unless the individual objects, Bundle Birth may disclose to a member of the individual’s family, a relative, a close friend or any other person the individual identifies, the individual’s PHI that directly relates to that third party’s involvement in the individual’s health care. If the individual is unable to agree or object to such a disclosure, Bundle Birth may disclose such information as necessary if Bundle Birth determines that it is in the individual’s best interest based on Bundle Birth’s professional judgment.

Individual’s Rights Regarding PHI:

The following uses and disclosures of the individual’s PHI will be made only with the individual’s written authorization:

1. Uses and disclosures of PHI for marketing purposes;
2. Disclosures that constitute a sale of the individual’s PHI; and
3. Disclosures of psychotherapy notes.

Other uses and disclosures of PHI not covered by this Notice of Privacy Company or the laws that apply to Bundle Birth will be made only with the individual’s written authorization. If the individual gives Bundle Birth authorization, the individual may revoke it at any time by submitting a written revocation to the Bundle Birth Compliance Office and we will no longer disclose PHI under the authorization. But disclosure that Bundle Birth made in reliance on an individual’s authorization before the individual revoked it will not be affected by the revocation.

Individual’s Rights Regarding PHI:

• Right to Inspect and Copy
  • The individual has a right to inspect and copy PHI that may be used to make decisions about the individual’s care or payment for the individual’s care. This includes medical and billing records, other than psychotherapy notes. To inspect and copy the individual’s PHI, the individual must make their request, in writing, to the Department in which their care was provided.
  • Bundle Birth has up to 30 days to make the individual PHI available to the individual and Bundle Birth may charge the individual a reasonable fee for the costs of copying, mailing or other supplies associated with the individual’s request. Bundle Birth may not charge the individual a fee if the individual needs the information for a claim for benefits under the Social Security Act or any other state or federal needs-based benefit program. Bundle Birth may deny the individual’s request in certain limited circumstances. If Bundle Birth does deny the individual’s request, the individual has the right to have the denial reviewed by a licensed healthcare professional that was not directly involved in the denial of the individual’s request, and Bundle Birth will comply with the outcome of the review.
• Right to Get Notice of a Breach
  • Bundle Birth is committed to safeguarding the individual’s PHI. If a breach of the individual’s PHI occurs, Bundle Birth will notify the individual in accordance with state and federal law.
• Right to Amend, Correct or Add an Addendum
  • If the individual feels that the PHI Bundle Birth has is incorrect, incomplete, or the individual wishes to add an addendum to the individual’s records, the individual has the right to make such request for as long as the information is kept by or for the Bundle Birth office. The individual must make their request in writing to the Department that is in possession of the individual’s records. In the case of claims that the information is incorrect, incomplete, or if the record was not created by Bundle Birth, Bundle Birth may deny the individual’s request. However, if the Bundle Birth denies any part of the individual’s request, Bundle Birth will provide the individual with a written explanation of the reasons for doing so within 60 days of the individual’s request.
• Right to an Accounting of Disclosures
  • Individuals have the right to request a list of certain disclosures Bundle Birth made of PHI for purposes other than treatment, payment, health care operations, and certain other purposes consistent with law, or for which the individual provided written authorization. To request an accounting of disclosure, individuals must make their request, in writing, to the Department that is in possession of the individual’s records. The individual may request an accounting of disclosures for up to the previous six years of services provided before the date of the individual’s request. If more than one request is made during a 12-month period, Bundle Birth may charge a cost-based fee.
• Right to Request Restrictions
  • Individuals have the right to request a restriction or limitation on the PHI Bundle Birth uses or discloses for treatment, payment, or health care operations. Individuals also have the right to request a limit on the PHI we disclose to someone involved in the individual’s care or the payment for the individual’s care, like a family member or friend. For example, the individual could ask that Bundle Birth not share information about a particular diagnosis or treatment with the individual’s spouse. To request a restriction, the individual must make their request, in writing, to the Department that is in possession of the individual’s records.
• Right to Request Confidential Communications
  • Individuals have the right to request that Bundle Birth communicate with them about medical matters in a certain way or at a certain location. For example, the individual can ask that Bundle Birth only contact individuals by mail or at work. To request confidential communications, individuals must make their request, in writing, to the Department that is in possession of the individual’s records. The individual’s request must specify how or where the individual wishes to be contacted. Bundle Birth will accommodate reasonable requests.
• Right to Choose Someone to Act for the Individual.
  • If the individual gives someone medical power of attorney or if someone is the individual’s legal guardian, that person can exercise the individual’s rights and make choices about the individual’s PHI. Bundle Birth will use our best efforts to verify that the person has the authority to act for the individual before Bundle Birth takes any action.
• Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice of Privacy Practices
  • Individuals have the right to a paper copy of this Notice of Privacy Practices. Individuals may ask Bundle Birth to give the individual a copy of this Notice of Privacy Practices at any time.

Contact Information

Please reach out to business@bundlebirth.com with any inquiries, complaints, and disputes related to this policy.

Changes to this Notice of Privacy Practices:

Bundle Birth reserves the right to change this Notice of Privacy Practices and make the new Notice of Privacy Practices apply to PHI Bundle Birth already has as well as any information Bundle Birth receives in the future. Bundle Birth will post a copy of Bundle Birth’s current Notice of Privacy at our office. The Notice of Privacy Practices will contain the effective date on the first page, in the top right-hand corner. Individuals will be sent information regarding the changes via email or via mail on how they can obtain a new copy. Individuals will be asked to sign off on the new Notice of Privacy Practices at the individual’s next scheduled appointment.

Applicable Regulations 45 C.F.R. § 164.520