Effective March 1, 2015

EAST TEXAS LIGHTHOUSE FOR THE BLIND

HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices

This notice describes how East Texas Lighthouse for the Blind (ETLB) may use and disclose health information about you and how you can get access to this information. This Notice provides you with information to protect the privacy of your confidential health care information, hereafter referred to as protected health information (PHI). The Notice also describes the privacy rights you have and how you can exercise those rights. Please review it carefully.

If you have any questions about this Notice, please contact the Human Resource Department.

OUR OBLIGATIONS

We are required by law to:

• Maintain the privacy of protected health information.
• At your request, give you this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices regarding health information about you.
• Follow the terms of our notice that is currently in effect.

HOW WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE HEALTH INFORMATION

The following describes the ways we may use and disclose your PHI. Except for the purposes described below, we will use and disclose PHI only with your written permission.

SERVICES, PAYMENT, HEALTH CARE AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS

SERVICES

ETLB may use PHI to facilitate the delivery of services and goods to the vision impaired community. The services and goods may be delivered in the form of scholarships, grants and training sessions. Some of the training sessions may be done independently and others performed under the direction of the State of Texas Vocational Rehabilitation agencies or various educational entities such as schools, school districts or regional service centers. In addition, ETLB may use PHI when making application for fundraising grants that will benefit ETLB. Grant funding may be requested from federal, state or private entities or foundations.

PAYMENT

ETLB may use PHI to prepare and send billing to third party referral sources, including the State of Texas Vocational Rehabilitation agencies and various educational entities such as schools, school districts or regional service centers.

HEALTH CARE OPERATIONS

Annually, or more frequently as necessary, ETLB performs enrollment, changes in enrollment and payroll deductions; provides assistance in claims problem resolution and explanation of benefits issues; and assists in coordination of benefits with other providers and your HSA. Excluded is the use of genetic information for underwriting and employment purposes. Some or all of these activities may require the use of PHI.

BUSINESS OPERATIONS

ETLB may use PHI in order to secure and maintain federal and state set-aside contracts in the employment/manufacturing area; to determine employment eligibility and reasonable accommodations in the employment area; and to secure and maintain grants and/or other types of funding for services provided to the visually impaired community.

SPECIAL SITUATIONS NOT REQUIRING AUHORIZATION

• When State or Federal law mandates that certain health information be reported for a specific purpose.
• Disclosures to government or law authorities about victims of suspected abuse, neglect, domestic violence, or when someone is suspected to be a victim of a crime.
• Disclosures for judicial and administrative proceedings, such as in response to subpoenas or orders of courts or administrative hearings.
• Disclosures to Business Associates who perform health care operations for ETLB, including disclosures of a limited data set or de-identified PHI.
• Uses or disclosures to prevent a serious threat to health or safety of an Individual(s).
• Uses or disclosures to aid military purposes or lawful national intelligence activities.
• Disclosures related to a worker’ compensation claim.
• Disclosures to organizations that handle organ or tissue donations.
• Disclosures to coroners, medical examiners and funeral directors.
• Health oversight activities, such as audits, inspections and investigations.
• Public health reasons.
• Data breach notification purposes.

YOUR AUTHORIZATION IS REQUIRED FOR OTHER USES AND DISCLOSURES

The following uses and disclosures of your PHI will be made only with your written authorization:

• Uses or disclosures for most marketing purposes; and
• Disclosures that constitute a sale of your PHI.

Other uses and disclosures of PHI not covered by this Notice or the laws that apply to us will be made only with your written authorization. If you do give us an authorization, you may revoke it at any time by submitting a written revocation to our Privacy Officer and we will no longer disclose PHI under the authorization. But, disclosure that we made in reliance on your authorization before you revoked it will not be affected by the revocation.

YOUR RIGHTS

You have the following rights regarding your PHI:

• Right to request restriction – you may request we restrict or limit our uses and disclosures of your PHI for service, payment, health care operations and business operations. All requests must be made in writing to the Privacy Officer. We are not required to honor your request, unless it is for payment for health care services received that you have paid for out-of-pocket or it is otherwise required by law. If we agree, we will comply with your request except if the information is needed in an emergency situation.
• Right to confidential communications – you may request communications in a certain way or at a certain location, but you must specify how or where you wish to be contacted.
• Right to inspect and copy – you have the right to inspect and copy any PHI that ETLB maintains on you. Under limited circumstances, your request may be denied. You may receive this information either by paper copy or electronically.
• Right to request amendment – you have the right to request an amendment of the PHI that ETLB maintains on you if you believe the information we have about you is incorrect or incomplete.
• Right to accounting of disclosures – you have the right to request a list of the disclosures of your PHI that have made to persons or entities in the past seven (7) years. This list will not include disclosures made i) to you; ii) permitted by your authorization; or iii) for services, payment, health care operations or business operations.
• Right to a copy of this notice – you may request a copy of this Notice, either by paper copy or electronically.
• Right to be informed of a breach – as required by law, ETLB will notify you in the event that a breach of your PHI occurs.

CHANGES TO THIS NOTICE

ETLB reserves the right to change this notice and make the new notice apply to PHI we already have as well as any information we receive in the future. We will be governed by this Notice as long as it is in effect. The Notice will contain the effective date on the first page, in the top right-hand corner.

COMPLAINTS

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with ETLB or with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. To file a complaint with our office, contact the Privacy Officer. All complaints must be made in writing. You will not be penalized for filing a complaint.