NuLife Services Notice of Privacy Practices

Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), you have certain rights regarding the use and disclosure of your protected health information.This notice describes how client private health information (PHI) may be used and disclosed and how to access stored PHI. Please review it carefully.

NuLife Services Responsibilities

NuLife is required by law to:

Maintain the privacy and security of client protected health information.
Promptly notify a client if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of a client’s PHI.
Follow the duties and privacy practices described in this notice and provide a copy of it to clients.
NuLife can change the terms of this notice, and the changes will apply to all client PHI. The new notice will be available upon request, in the NuLife office, and on the NuLife website .
NuLife will not use or share client PHI other than as described here unless a client requests a disclosure in writing. If a client consents to disclosure of PHI, a client has the right to rescind consent at any time by submitting a written request to stop disclosure.

www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/noticepp.html.

Your Rights

You have the right to receive an electronic or paper copy of your medical record/ stored PHI. NuLife will provide a copy or a summary of PHI within a reasonable time. If a client asks to see or receive a copy of his/her record for the purposes of reviewing current medical care, NuLife may not charge clients a fee. [Minn. Stat. § 144.292 subd. 6] If a client requests copies of their record of past medical care, or for certain appeals, NuLife may charge specified fees. [Minn. Stat. § 144.292 subd. 6]

You have the right to request an amendment to your medical record. An amendment is a correction to the stored health information that the client believes is incorrect or incomplete. NuLife may say “no” to this request, and will provide a written explanation for the denial within 60 days .
You can request confidential communications. Clients can request to be contacted in a specific way (for example, home or office phone) or to send mail to a different address to ensure confidentiality of communication related to care. NuLife will say “yes” to all reasonable requests.
You can request to Limit Use/Sharing of TPO. Clients can request that NuLife abstain from using or sharing certain health information for treatment, payment, or operations (TPO). NuLife is not required to agree to such requests, and may say “no” if it would affect delivery of client care.
If a client pays for a service or health care item out-of-pocket in full, they can ask NuLife not to share that information for the purpose of payment or our operations with their health insurer. NuLife will say “yes” unless a law requires us to share that information .Minnesota Law requires consent for disclosure of treatment, payment, or operations information. [Minn. Stat. § 144.293 subd. 2]
You can request a list (accounting) of the times NuLife has shared health information for six years prior to the date of the request, who NuLife has shared it with, and why. NuLife will include all the disclosures except for those about treatment, payment, and health care operations, and certain other disclosures (such as any the client asked NuLife to make) . NuLife will provide one accounting a year for free but will charge a reasonable, cost- based fee if a client requests an additional one within 12 months .
You can request a copy of this Privacy Notice. Clients can request a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if clients have agreed to receive the notice electronically. NuLife will provide clients with a paper copy promptly upon request.
You can file a complaint. Clients can self-advocate if they feel NuLife has violated their client rights by contacting NuLife in person, by phone, or by email. Alternatively, clients can file a complaint with the U .S . Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights by calling 1-877-696-6775, or visitingwww.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/ or by contacting::

U .S . Department of Health and Human Services MN BBHT

Office for Civil Rights OR 335 Randolph Ave Suite 290

200 Independence Avenue, S .W . St Paul, 55102

Washington, DC 20201

NuLife will not retaliate against clients for filing a complaint.

You can request NuLife not to share your information. If clients have a clear preference for how we share their information in the situations described below, they can inform their provider of what they would like done, and NuLife will follow clients’ instructions .
You have both the right and choice to tell us NOT to:
- Share information with family, close friends, or others involved in delivery of services
- Share information in a disaster relief situation

How is PHI typically used or shared?

PHI is typically used or shared in the following ways. We need your consent before we disclose protected health information for treatment, payment, and operations purposes, unless the disclosure is to a related entity, or the disclosure is for a medical emergency and we are unable to obtain your consent due to your condition or the nature of the medical emergency. [Minn. Stat. § 144.293, subd. 2 and 5]

Treatment: PHI can be used and shared with other professionals who are treating you only if we have your consent. We can only release your health records to health care facilities and providers outside our network without your consent if it is an emergency and you are unable to provide consent due to the nature of the emergency. We may also share your health information with a provider in our network. [Minn. Stat. § 144.293, subd. 2 and 5]

Example: A doctor treating you for an injury asks another doctor about your overall health condition.

NuLife Operations: PHI can be used and shared to enable practice operations, improve delivery of care, and to contact clients when necessary . We are required to obtain your consent before we release your health records to other providers for their own health care operations.[Minn. Stat. § 144.293, subd. 2 and 5]

Example: We use health information about you to manage your treatment and services.

Bill for Services Rendered: PHI can be used and shared to bill and get payment from health plans or other entities only if we obtain your consent. [Minn. Stat. § 144.293, subd. 2 and 5] Example: NuLife gives information about clients to their health insurance carriers so it will pay for services.

Other Uses and Disclosures

NuLife can not share the following without permission:

• Marketing purposes

• Sale of client information

• Sharing of psychotherapy notes

Minnesota Law also requires consent for most other sharing purposes.

NuLife is permitted or required to share PHI in other ways – usually in ways that contribute to the public good, such as public health and research. NuLife must meet many conditions in the law before sharing PHI for these purposes .For more information see: www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/index.html.

Public Health and Safety: NuLife can share PHI for certain situations such as:
- Preventing disease
- Helping with product recalls
- Reporting adverse reactions to medications
- Reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence
- Preventing or reducing a serious threat to anyone’s health or safety

Research: NuLife can use or share PHI for health research if you do not object. [Minn. Stat. § 144.295 subd. 1]
Comply with the law: NuLife will share PHI if state or federal laws require it, including with the Department of Health and Human Services if it wants to see that NuLife is complying with federal privacy law . [Minn. Stat. § 144.293 subd. 2]
Workers’ Compensation, Law Enforcement, Government: NuLife can use or share PHI for:
- or workers’ compensation claims
- For law enforcement purposes or with a law enforcement official with client consent, unless required by law. [Minn. Stat. § 144.293, subd. 2]
- With health oversight agencies for activities authorized by law
- For special government functions such as military, national security, and presidential
- Protective services with client consent, unless required by law. [Minn. Stat. § 144.293, subd. 2] Respond to Legal Actions
- NuLife can share PHI in response to a court or administrative order, or in response to a subpoena. [Minn. Stat. § 144.293 subd. 2]

Other State Law

Minnesota state law requires client consent before disclosing PHI for treatment, payment, and operations purposes, unless the disclosure is to a related entity, or the disclosure is for a medical emergency and NuLife is unable to obtain client consent [Minn. Stat. §§ 13.386, 254A.09]