Notice of Privacy Policy

This Notice of Privacy Practices ("Notice") describes how health information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information.

PLEASE REVIEW THIS INFORMATION CAREFULLY. The privacy of your health information is important.

We are required by various federal and state laws to maintain the privacy of your health information. We are also required to give you this Notice about our privacy practices, our legal duties and your rights concerning your health information. We must follow the privacy practices that are described in this Notice while it is in effect. This Notice takes effect April 14, 2003 and will remain in effect until we replace it.

You may request a copy of our Privacy Practice Notice at any time. For more information or additional copies of this Notice, please contact the Privacy Officer at the address included in this Notice. If and when permitted by applicable law, we have the right to change our privacy practices. If this occurs, we will update this Notice accordingly.

We are permitted, by law, to use and disclose health information about you for reasons concerning treatment, payment and healthcare operations. Examples:

Treatment: We may disclose your health information to a physician or other healthcare provider that is providing, or will provide, treatment or other health services to you.

Payment: We may use and disclose your health information to obtain payment for services that we provide you.

Operations: We may use and disclose your health information in connection with our healthcare operations, which include the administration, planning and various other tasks to help improve the quality of these operations.

Family and Friends: We may disclose your health information to a family member, relative or a friend that has been identified by you while you are present. If you are not present, professional judgment will be utilized to determine whether a disclosure is required or in your best interest. We will only disclose information that is believed to be relevant to the person's involvement with your health care or payment related to your health care. We may also disclose your health information in order to notify such persons of your location, general condition or death.

Requirements of the Law: We may use or disclose your health information when we are required to do so by law.

Victim of Abuse or Neglect: We may disclose your health information to authorities if reasonable belief is that you are a possible victim of abuse, neglect or domestic violence. We may disclose information to the extent necessary to avert additional serious threats to your health or safety or the health or safety of others.

Public Health Activities: We may disclose your health information to public health authorities for the purpose of preventing or controlling disease or preventing injury; to alert a person who may have been exposed to a communicable disease; to report information about products and services under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; to report information to a health oversight agency that is responsible for ensuring compliance with governmental rules and regulations, such as those implemented by governmental healthcare reimbursement programs, i.e. Medicare and Medicaid.

National Security: We may disclose to military authorities the health information of Armed Forces personnel under certain circumstances. We may disclose to authorized federal officials health information required for lawful intelligence, counter intelligence and other national security activities.

Appointment Reminders: We may contact you to provide you with appointment and/or supply refill reminders, such as voice messages; including essential information such as time, location and the name of the company/provider.

Worker's Compensation: We may use or disclose your health information to the extent necessary to comply with state laws relating to workers' compensation.

Disclosures Requiring your Authorization: For any reasons other than those listed in this notice, we may only use or disclose your health information with your written authorization. Your authorization must also be obtained prior to using your health information for any marketing activity.

Access to Record: You may have access to your health information, with limited exceptions. Requests must be in writing and submitted to the Privacy Officer at the address included in this Notice. We may charge a reasonable fee to compensate for time and materials.

Revocation of your Authorization: You may revoke your authorization to disclose your health information at any time. Such revocation must be made in writing and submitted to the Privacy Officer at the address included in this Notice.

Restriction of Information: You may request that we place restrictions on our use or disclosure of your health information. You must make your request in writing by sending a letter that specifies the type of information to be restricted and to whom the information is to be restricted from. Requests should be sent directly to the Privacy Officer at the address included in this Notice. We will consider all requests; however are not required to agree to the request. We will respond to these requests in writing.

Disclosure Accounting: You may request a list of instances in which we (or our business associates) disclosed your health information for purposes, other than treatment, payment, healthcare operations and certain other activities, for the last 6 years. You must make your request in writing by sending us a letter that specifies the type of information and the time period involved. Requests should be sent directly to the Privacy Officer at the address included in this Notice. If you request this information more than once in a 12-month period, we may charge you a reasonable fee to compensate for our time and materials.

Alternative Communication: You may request that we communicate with you about your health information by alternative means or to an alternative location. You must make your request in writing by sending a letter that specifies the alternative means or location and provide satisfactory explanation how payments will be handled under the alternative means or location you have requested. Requests should be sent directly to the Privacy Officer at the address included in this Notice.

Amendment: You have the right to request that we amend your health information. You must make your request in writing by sending us a letter that explains why the information should be amended. Such requests should be sent directly to the Privacy Officer at the address included in this Notice. We will comply with your request unless we believe that the information to be amended is accurate and/or complete.

Right to Receive Paper Copy of this Notice: Upon request, you may obtain a paper copy of this notice.

Should you have any questions regarding this Notice or the privacy of your health information, please contact our Privacy Officer at the following address. In addition, if you are concerned that we may have violated your privacy rights, or if you disagree with a decision we have made about a request for access to your health information, a request you have made to amend or restrict the use or disclosure of your health information or a request you have made for us to communicate with you by alternative means or locations, you may file a complaint with our Privacy Officer at the following address.

Home Medical Equipment & Supplies
Attn.: Privacy Officer
644 SW Coast Hwy
Newport, OR 97365

You may also submit a written complaint to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. We will provide you with the address to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ("HHS") upon request or you may contact HHS at 1-800-HHS-TIPS.

This is a brief summary of your rights and protections under the federal health information privacy law. You can learn more about health information privacy and your rights in a fact sheet called "Your Health Information Privacy Rights." You can get this from the website at www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/

Another law provides additional privacy protections to patients of alcohol and drug treatment programs. For more information, go to the website atwww.samhsa.gov.