HIPAA Policy
Last updated: June 22, 2023
The below notice describes how your health information may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information. Please review it carefully and contact us with any questions or comments.
ALZpath is committed to ensuring the confidentiality and security of your protected health information (PHI). Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), ALZpath Diagnostics is required by law to maintain the privacy of your PHI and to provide you with notice of our legal duties and privacy practices regarding PHI. PHI includes information that we have created or received regarding your health, your healthcare, and/or payment for your healthcare. ALZpath Diagnostics is dedicated to the protection of your PHI and will make reasonable efforts to ensure its confidentiality, as mandated by law.
As part of our commitment we will:
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- Keep your PHI private, except as indicated below.
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- Notify you promptly in the event of a breach that may have compromised the privacy or security of your PHI.
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- Use or disclose your PHI as described and permitted by law, unless you provide us with written instructions to the contrary. You can change your preferences at any time by notifying us in writing.
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- Follow the terms of this notice currently in effect.
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- Provide you with a copy of this Notice.
Uses and Disclosures of PHI:
Treatment: We may obtain verbal and written information about your medical treatment and diagnostic tests from various sources including you and your doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals involved in your care. We may use and disclose PHI to remind you of appointments, provide health-related information, and coordinate your care with other healthcare providers.
Billing: We may engage in activities to obtain reimbursement for the services we provide, such as submitting bills to insurance companies and collecting outstanding accounts.
Health Care Operations: This encompasses quality assurance activities, personnel training, licensing and accreditation functions, and other operational or management functions. We may also disclose PHI to other healthcare providers or health plans involved in your care for their operations.
Use and Disclosure of PHI Without Your Authorization:
We are permitted to use and disclose your PHI without your written authorization or opportunity to object in certain situations and as allowed by law. These include:
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- Treatment, payment, or health care operations activities of another health care provider who treated you.
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- Sharing your PHI with our business associates who perform certain functions or services on our behalf, for example, we may use another company to perform billing services on our behalf. All of our business associates are required to maintain the privacy and confidentiality of your PHI.
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- Health care and legal compliance activities.
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- Disclosing health care information to family members, relatives, or close friends involved in your care, if you agree or when it is in your best interests.
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- Disclosing the PHI of minors to their parents or legal guardians.
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- Reporting abuse, neglect, or domestic violence as required by law.
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- Health oversight activities, audits, investigations, and disciplinary proceedings undertaken by the government.
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- Compliance with court orders, subpoenas, or other legal processes.
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- Limited law enforcement activities.
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- National defense, security, and special government functions.
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- Protecting the health and safety of individuals or the public.
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- Reporting abuse, neglect, or domestic violence to government authorities.
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- Workers’ compensation purposes and compliance with relevant laws.
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- Sharing information with coroners, medical examiners, and funeral directors for legally authorized purposes.
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- If you are an organ donor, for facilitating organ donation and transplantation.
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- Conducting research projects, but this is subject to strict oversight and approvals.
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- Providing health information to your personal representative or authorized individuals associated with your estate.
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- Compliance with federal, state, or local laws.
Any other uses or disclosures of PHI, not mentioned above, will require your written authorization. You can revoke your authorization at any time, except for instances where we have already used or disclosed your information based on that authorization.
De-identified Information:
We may use and disclose de-identified health information or limited data sets that do not directly identify you, as allowed by HIPAA. ALZpath may disclose this limited and de-identified health information, contained in a “limited data set”. The limited data set does not contain any information that can directly identify you.
Your Individual Rights:
You have rights regarding your PHI, including:
Right to Access, Copy, or Inspect Your PHI: You can inspect and copy the health information that we maintain by contacting us to request access. You may also direct us to transmit a copy to another designated person, if the request is in writing, signed by you, and clearly identifies the designated recipient and where to send the copy of your PHI. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee as permitted by state law. In certain circumstances, access may be denied, and you have appeal rights. You also have the right to receive confidential communications of your PHI. If you wish to inspect or obtain a copy of your health information, please contact us.
Right to Amend Your PHI: You can ask us to amend your health information. Generally within 60 days we will amend your information. We will notify you when your information has been amended. We may deny an amendment under specific circumstances, in this event, we will provide an explanation of the reasoning for not amending the information and allow you to submit a statement of disagreement to be included in your record.
Right to Request an Accounting: You may request an accounting of certain disclosures of your PHI made in the six years prior. Some disclosures, such as those for treatment, payment, and health care operations, or disclosures made with your written authorization, may not be included.
Right to Request Restrictions: You have the right to request restrictions on how we use and disclose your PHI. We are not obligated to agree to requested restrictions, but any restrictions agreed upon in writing are binding to us.
Right to Request Confidential Communications: You can request that we communicate your health information to you through alternative means or at a different address. You must make this request in writing. You do not have to explain the reason for your request as long as the request is reasonable.
Other Uses and Disclosures Require Your Written Authorization: Any uses or disclosures not described in this notice will be made as allowed by law or with your written authorization. You can revoke your authorization in writing at any time, affecting future uses or disclosures.
Revisions to the Notice:
We reserve the right to change the terms of this notice at any time, and the changes will be effective immediately and apply to all PHI we maintain. Material changes will be posted on our website. You can obtain the latest version of this notice by contacting us or visiting our website. Please review our website periodically to ensure that you are aware of any such updates to this notice.
Your Legal Rights and Complaints:
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you have the right to file a complaint with us or the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. We will not retaliate against you in any way for filing a complaint.
Our Legal Duties and Rights:
The law requires us to protect the privacy of your PHI and to provide this Notice of our practices. We reserve the right to change our health information practices and the terms of this Notice. We reserve the right to make the changed Notice effective for health information we already have about you and for new information we receive. The Notice will be placed prominently and on our website. You can request a paper copy of this Notice by contacting us through the contact information below.
For more information from ALZpath, please contact us:
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- By email: inquiry@alzpath.bio
- By phone number: 1 844 723 7228
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. You will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office for Civil Rights
200 Independence Avenue, SW
Room 509F, HHH Building
Washington, D.C. 20201
For your regional office, please visit: https://www.hhs.gov/ocr/about-us/contact-us/index.html