Our privacy policy for Long Island Treatment Center explains how your medical information may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information. This privacy policy is compliant with relevant laws and regulations, including but not limited to the United States Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), and we will only provide information to third parties as permitted by Applicable Laws.
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OUR PRIVACY POLICY
Long Island Treatment Center in Hicksville, New York, provides healthcare services specializing in behavioral healthcare and addiction treatment. We are committed to protecting our patient’s health information and we follow the applicable law. This notice (“Notice of Privacy Practices”) outlines your rights as a patient and our responsibilities as required by Federal Law. Protected Health Information (“PHI”) is information collected about you by a healthcare provider. PHI can include demographic information which may be identifying or can relate to your physical or mental health status in the past, present, or future, or the type of healthcare services you receive, as well as the past, present, or future payments for any healthcare services you receive.
Our Duties
At Long Island Treatment Center, we are legally required to:
- Maintain the privacy of your PHI
- Provide notice of our legal responsibilities and privacy practices where it concerns your PHI
- Make you aware if there is an information breach related to your PHI
- Abide by the terms of this Notice of Privacy Practices
This Notice of Privacy Practices is effective as of the date listed on the first page of this Notice of Privacy Practices and this notice will remain in effect until it is revised. We are legally required to update this Notice of Privacy Practices if there are any changes to your rights, our duties, or other practices contained herein.
We reserve the right to change our policy and the terms of this notice, as per our business and any applicable law at any time. If and when a new Notice of Privacy Practices is implemented, it will apply to all PHI that we have at that time. Notification of updates or changes to this policy will be available upon request. We will also share updates electronically on our website or through other electronics means, as well as posting these updates in our place of business.
We are also required to respond to requests regarding your rights in a timely and appropriate manner. We agree with and support your right to privacy. We are also dedicated to taking all necessary and reasonable steps to protect your PHI.
Confidentiality of Patient Records
Our patient records are protected by Federal law and regulations. We may not disclose the identities of our patients, or provide information pertaining to drug or alcohol use by any of our patients to any individual outside of our treatment facility. We can only provide this information when:
- You provide written consent (as discussed below in “Authorization to Use or Disclose PHI”)
- The disclosure is part of a court order (as discussed below in “Uses and Disclosures”)
- In the event of a medical emergency, the information can be provided to medical or other qualified personal as necessary to provide research, audit, or program evaluation (as discussed below in “Uses and Disclosures”)
It is a crime for treatment centers to violate Federal law and regulations. Any suspected violations will be reported to the appropriate authorities as required by Federal regulations.
Information about any crimes you committed while at the treatment center, or against any employees of the treatment center, or even the threat to commit a crime are not considered protected information under Federal law and regulations (as discussed below in “Uses and Disclosures”).
Any information about suspected child abuse or neglect are also not protected by Federal law and regulations and will be reported under State law to the appropriate authorities (as discussed below in “Uses and Disclosures”).
See 42 U.S.C. 290dd-3 and 42 U.S.C. 290ee-3 for Federal laws and 42 CFR part 2 for Federal regulations.
Uses and Disclosures
In some instances we may be permitted, required, or authorized to use and disclose your PHI. Instances in which we may use and disclose your PHI can include:
Among Long Island Treatment Center Counseling Personnel. Information necessary to provide a diagnosis, treatment, or referral for treatment may be used and disclosed among personnel. This communication must be: (i) Within our treatment center. Your PHI can be disclosed in order to provide care or used in connection to billing statements pertaining to your care. PHI can be used to check for insurance coverage eligibility or to prepare insurance claims as necessary. Your PHI may be disclosed as is necessary for us to conduct our healthcare business in regard to accreditation and licensing.
Secretary of Health and Human Services. As part of determining our compliance with the HIPAA Privacy Rules or upon investigation by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, we are legally required to disclose PHI.
Business Associates. When necessary, we may work with contracted Business Associates who will perform services on our behalf and we may disclose your PHI as pertinent. All of our Business Associates must agree to:
(i) Protect the privacy of your PHI; (ii) Only use and disclose information relevant for the Business Associate to conduct the task with which they were engaged; (iii) Be bound by 42 CFR Part 2; and (iv) as applicable, not comply with any judicial proceedings intended to obtain access to patient records except as permitted by law.
Crimes on Premises. Any information pertaining to a crime committed or the treat of a crime to be committed on the premises of our facility or against our personnel.
Reports of Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect. Any information required to report suspected child neglect or abuse may be disclosed to the appropriate authorities. Original patient records may not be disclosed without consent.
Court Order. If certain regulatory requirements are met, then we may disclose PHI as required by a court order.
Emergency Situations. In the event medical care is required, then we may disclose relevant information to medical personnel as needed to provide treatment in an emergency.
Research. Information can be disclosed for research if certain requirements, such as approval by an Institutional Review Board, as met.
Audit and Evaluation Activities. As necessary to the task, your information may be disclosed as needed to conduct certain audit and evaluation activities, only when the person conducting the audit or evaluation agrees to specific restrictions on disclosure of information.
Reporting of Death. Information regarding your death may be disclosed to an authorized public health authority.
PHI Authorization
Aside from the examples already stated, we will not disclose your PHI unless we receive written authorization from you specifically granting us permission to do so. Furthermore, we will not use or disclose psychotherapy notes for marketing purposes, or sell your PHI without your prior written authorization. Permission to disclose your PHI can be revoked at any time. You must revoke your PHI disclosure authorization in writing. However, an oral revocation will be honored until we receive your written revocation. The oral revocation will only be accepted after we have authenticated your identity. Once you have provided a revocation this will not impact any disclosures issued while your authorization was in effect.
Patient / Client Rights
You have rights when it comes to your PHI and we want to make sure that you understand these rights. We prioritize your PHI and keeping your information safe is a task we take very seriously. We want to make sure you understand how to access your PHI.
Right to Notice
You have the right to know when your PHI is used and disclosed. You can request a hard copy or electronic copy of this privacy policy at any time. A staff member can help you obtain a copy of this policy or you can find a copy on our website.
Right of Access to Inspect and Copy
You can review your PHI or request a copy of your PHI at any time while we maintain this record. In some instances this right may be restricted as necessary by applicable law. If you wish to access your PHI this request must be made in writing. In some instances, we may deny your request to gain access to your PHI. If we deny you access to your PHI we will notify you in writing. You may contest this denial and request that the PHI denial be reviewed. In this instance, another licensed healthcare professional will review both your request and the denial and render a decision. The designated professional cannot be the same individual who denied the request. We will honor the decision made by the designated professional. If this review results in a second denial, you can request another review, this time by a licensed third-party healthcare professional not affiliated with Long Island Treatment Center. We will honor the decision reached by this professional.
You may be responsible for any fees or costs associated with copying and/or mailing your request. You may request the format of your electronic PHI if that format is readily producible, if it is not then you will receive any readable form and format. You can also provide directions for providing your electronic PHI to another individual or entity.
Right to Amend
You can request we update your PHI if you believe the information we have is inaccurate or incomplete. We are only able to update your PHI during the time we are legally obligated to maintain these records. Any requests to update your PHI must be made in writing and you must also supply an explanation for the requested changes. Your request can be denied for any of the following reasons:
- Your PHI was not created by Long Island Treatment Center
- The records are not accessible or available for inspection under applicable law
- The record is accurate and complete.
If your request to update your PHI is denied, you will be provided with a reason in writing. You can choose to write a rebuttal or a statement of disagreement. Your written statement will be added to your PHI and included in any future disclosures. This your statement is accepted then we will help you identify any other parties that should be notified and we will handle that notification.
Right to Request an Accounting of Disclosures
We maintain a list of certain disclosures we make of your PHI and you have the right to request a copy of this list, or accounting pending applicable law. Any requests must be made in writing. Certain types of disclosures are not required to be tracked and will not be provided. This includes any disclosures made in accordance with authorization you issued. You may be charged a fee for any accounting requests in excess of one during a 12-month period. You will be notified of any fees at the time of the accounting request.
Right to Request Restrictions
You can limit or restrict how your PHI is used and disclosed when it comes to treatment, payment, and operations. We are not obligated to agree to your request restrictions, except in specific circumstances. Requests must be made in writing. When we agree to uphold your request, we will do so going forward unless you revoke this request, or if using our professional judgement we feel an emergency situation negates your request, or if use or disclosure is permitted by law. We can terminate any request restrictions we previously agreed to. You will be notified of such decisions in writing.
Out-of-Pocket Payments
You can request that out-of-pocket payments made in full not be disclosed to your health plan. Out-of-pocket payments are defined as payment not covered by a health plan. So if a payment is made by you, or someone else, you can request that your health plan not be notified of the item or service as long as the payment was made in full. Your out-of-pocket payment request must be made in writing and it will be honored unless you notify us, also in writing of your wish to terminate the request or if the disclosure is not required by law.
Right to Confidential Communication
If you wish to keep your communication with us private, you can request that we communicate with you regarding your health matters and PHI by alternative means or locations. Such requests must be made in writing. This request must also explain the alternative means or location. We try to oblige all reasonable confidential communication requests.
Right to Notification of a Breach
In the event of an information breach pertaining to your PHI either by us or one of our Business Associates, you have the right to be notified.
Right to Voice Concerns
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you have the right to file a complaint. Complaints must be filed in writing and can be submitted to us (via our Privacy Official; contact information listed below) or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
For Concerns, Complaints, and Questions
For questions, requests for information, more information about our privacy policy or concerns, please contact us:
7700 W. Camino Real #404
Boca Raton, Florida, 33433
info@longislandtreatmentcenters.com