1. Our commitment

We are required by law to maintain the privacy of your protected health information (“health information”), to give you this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices, to notify you following a breach of unsecured health information, and to follow the terms of the notice currently in effect.

2. How we may use and disclose your health information

For treatment

We may use and disclose your health information to provide equipment and related services to you, and to coordinate with your physicians, therapists, home care agencies, and other providers — for example, contacting your prescriber to obtain or clarify a prescription, or sharing setup information with a home care nurse.

For payment

We may use and disclose your health information to bill and collect payment from Medicare, Medicaid, commercial insurers, workers’ compensation carriers, or you — for example, verifying coverage and benefits, obtaining prior authorization, submitting claims with supporting documentation, and following up on denials or appeals.

For health care operations

We may use and disclose your health information for our business operations — for example, quality assessment, staff training and evaluation, accreditation and licensing, audits, compliance activities, and general administration.

Business associates

We may disclose your health information to vendors who perform services for us — including cloud hosting, billing systems, delivery and setup partners, and communication services. Each is contractually required to protect your health information under a business associate agreement.

Appointment, delivery, and resupply communications

We may contact you by phone, text, email, or mail to schedule or confirm deliveries and setup, to coordinate resupply of ongoing items, and to provide service reminders.

Others involved in your care

Unless you object, we may share information relevant to your care with a family member, friend, or other person you identify as involved in your care or payment — for example, an adult child who arranges and receives a hospital bed delivery on your behalf.

3. Other uses and disclosures permitted or required by law

As required or permitted by law, we may use or disclose your health information:

• when required by federal, state, or local law;
• for public health activities, including reporting adverse events and product recalls to the FDA or manufacturers;
• to report suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence as required by law;
• for health oversight activities such as audits, investigations, licensure, and inspections;
• for judicial and administrative proceedings, in response to a court order, subpoena, or other lawful process;
• for law enforcement purposes as permitted by law;
• to coroners, medical examiners, and funeral directors;
• for organ and tissue donation;
• for research, where an Institutional Review Board or Privacy Board has approved a waiver, or where information is de-identified;
• to avert a serious and imminent threat to health or safety;
• for specialized government functions, including military, national security, and correctional institutions;
• for workers’ compensation as authorized by law.

4. Uses and disclosures that require your written authorization

The following always require your written authorization:

• most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes;
• uses and disclosures for marketing purposes;
• disclosures that constitute a sale of health information;
• most other uses and disclosures not described in this notice.

You may revoke an authorization in writing at any time, except to the extent we have already acted in reliance on it.

5. Your rights regarding your health information

Right to inspect and copy

You may request access to your health information, including an electronic copy where we maintain it electronically. We will respond within 30 days and may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for copies.

Right to request an amendment

If you believe information about you is incorrect or incomplete, you may request an amendment in writing, with a reason. We may deny the request in limited circumstances and will explain why in writing; you may submit a statement of disagreement.

Right to an accounting of disclosures

You may request a list of certain disclosures we made of your health information in the six years prior to your request, excluding disclosures for treatment, payment, and health care operations and certain others.

Right to request restrictions

You may ask us to limit how we use or disclose your health information. We are not required to agree, except in one case: if you pay for an item in full out of pocket, you may require us not to disclose that information to your health plan, and we will comply unless the disclosure is otherwise required by law.

Right to confidential communications

You may ask us to communicate with you in a specific way or at a specific location — for example, only by mail to a particular address. We will accommodate reasonable requests.

Right to a paper copy of this notice

You may request a paper copy at any time, even if you agreed to receive it electronically.

Right to breach notification

We will notify you if a breach compromises the privacy or security of your unsecured health information.

To exercise any of these rights, contact our Privacy Officer at the address and number below. We may require your request in writing.

6. Our duties

We are required by law to maintain the privacy of your health information, provide this notice, follow the terms of the notice currently in effect, and notify you of breaches of unsecured health information.

We reserve the right to change this notice and to make the revised notice effective for health information we already hold as well as information we receive in the future. Current copies are posted at avistamedical.com and available at our office on request.

7. Complaints

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us at the contact information below, or with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights
200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201
1-877-696-6775 · www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints

You will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint.

8. Contact

Privacy Officer
White Aid Medical Supply Inc., d/b/a Avista Medical Supplies
674 Myrtle Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11205
Phone: 718-852-8222
Email: support@avistamedical.com

See also our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.