| PRIVACY
POLICY |
| |
| 1. |
California
Medical Business Services ("CMBS") will use and disclose
protected health information only as permitted by the HIPAA
Privacy Standards and this Compliance Program. Protected Health
Information* means individually identifiable health information
transmitted or maintained in any format (written, electronic,
or oral), whether relating to a living or a deceased individual. |
| 2. |
California
Medical Business Services is required to disclose protected
health information when an individual requests access to certain
health information in accordance with the Providing the Patient
With the Notice of Privacy Practices policy or an accounting
of disclosures in accordance with the Individual's Right to
Access/Obtain an Accounting of Disclosures of PHI policy. CMBS
must also disclose protected health information when the Secretary
of Health and Human Services (the "Secretary") requests
information to determine the Company's compliance with the HIPAA
Privacy Standards. Any request for access or an accounting,
or a request from the Secretary will be forwarded immediately
to the Privacy Officer who will coordinate CMBS' efforts. The
Privacy Officer shall log each such request as well as CMBS'
follow-up to each such request. |
| 3. |
California
Medical Business Services may use or disclose protected health
information without patient permission only in certain, public
policy-related circumstances. |
| 4. |
California
Medical Business Services may also use and disclose protected
health information for treatment, payment and health care operation
purposes without patient permission, unless another law requires
it. |
| 5. |
In
general, for all other purposes, CMBS must obtain the individual's
permission before it uses or discloses the individual's protected
health information. There are two forms of permission under
the HIPAA Privacy Standards: oral agreement and authorization. |
| 6. |
California
Medical Business Services will obtain the patient's verbal agreement
before disclosing protected health information to persons assisting
in a patient's care. The agreement does not have to be in writing
and may be inferred from the circumstances. See the Uses and
Disclosures Pursuant to Individual Agreement policy. |
| 7. |
For
certain other circumstances where consents and oral agreements
are not sufficient, CMBS will obtain a written authorization
from the individual. |
|
Contact:
Privacy Officer, 223 N. 1st Ave, #201, Arcadia, CA 91006
Tel.: (626) 821-1411
Fax: (626) 821-0091
E-mail Privacy@cmbsi.com
Adopted
3 April 2003
|
*Individually
identifiable health information is that subset of health information
that:
· Is created by or received by a health care provider,
health plan, employer, or health care clearinghouse;
· Relates to the past, present, or future physical or
mental health or condition of an individual; the provision of
health care to an individual; or the past, present, or future
payment for the provision of health care to an individual; and
· Which identifies the individual or which provides a
reasonable basis to believe that it could probably be used to
identify the individual who is the subject of the information.
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