Privacy Practices

NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES FOR BAY COVE CLIENTS 

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED, AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO YOUR PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.

(NOTE: The following information is also available in Spanish by clicking here, or in Vietnamese by clicking here.)

If you have any questions about this Notice of Privacy Practices, please call the Privacy Officer at 617-371-3082 or write to Bay Cove Human Services, Inc., 66 Canal Street, Boston, MA 02114. 

I.    Introduction 

“Protected Health Information” (PHI) means health information we have collected from you or received from your healthcare providers, health plan, employer or a healthcare clearing house. It may include information about your past, present or future physical or mental health or condition; the provision of your healthcare, and payment for your healthcare services. PHI also includes any information that identifies you, such as your name, social security number, date of birth, etc. 

This Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP) describes how we may use and disclose your PHI in the course of providing services and treatment to you. It also explains your rights regarding your PHI. 

We are required by law to maintain the privacy of your PHI and to provide you with this Notice of Privacy Practices. We are also legally required to abide by this NPP. However, we reserve the right to change the terms and to make the new NPP effective for all PHI that we maintain. If we revise the NPP, we will make it available to you at service locations and via our website, www.baycovehumanservices.org.  

 II.    How We May Use and Disclose Your Protected Health PHI 

There are some situations in which we may disclose your PHI without your permission (also known as “authorization”). These are examples of situations in which we do not need your authorization: 

  • For your treatment – for example, Staff who work for Bay Cove will share PHI in order to provide you with the best services.

  • For Payment – for example, we need to fill out claim forms to bill Medicaid or other health insurance companies and submit data to state agencies for reimbursement for services provided to you. However, we will not disclose PHI to your health plan about services that you pay for yourself out of pocket in full if you request that we keep this PHI private.

  • For Healthcare Operations – for example, to engage in quality review activities or for the implementation of compliance programs. One way this happens is that service notes are reviewed to ensure appropriate services and accurate billing.

  • For Public Health, Abuse or Neglect, and Health Oversight – for example, to alert a person who may have been exposed to a disease or may be at risk for contracting or spreading a disease; or to report a case of abuse as required by law.

  • For the purpose of obtaining benefits and other entitlements such as from the Social Security Administration.

  • For the purpose of contacting you to provide appointment reminders, or to provide you with PHI regarding treatment alternatives or other health-related benefits and services.

  • In emergency situations in which you become ill or there is a threat of harm to someone.

  • For the purpose of sending fundraising communications to you, but you have the right to opt out of such fundraising communications.

  • Other Authorizations Required by Law, including: legal proceedings and law enforcement; Workers’ Compensation; PHI related to Inmates; Military, National Security and Intelligence Activities; for the Protection of the President; certain approved research purposes; organ donation; for use by coroners, medical examiners and funeral directors; or any other reason such a disclosure would be required by law.

We can only disclose the types of PHI listed below with written authorization from you and you have the right to revoke your authorization at any time. 

  • For the purpose of providing services and treatment to you with external service providers such as a physician, therapist, case worker, etc.

  • Sometimes we need to ask for PHI about you from someone outside Bay Cove who works with you now, or used to work with you. Knowing your history and what services have been helpful provides us with information on how to provide good services to you.

  • Most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes.

  • For marketing purposes and the sale of protected health PHI

  • Any other uses of your PHI not described in this NPP also require your written authorization.

III.   Your Rights Regarding Protected Health PHI 

  • Right to Inspect and Copy: You have the right to view your PHI and receive copies of it. Under certain circumstances, we might not provide you access to your record, but we will give you a written explanation of why not within 30 days. 

  • Right to Request an Amendment: You have the right to ask us to change PHI that we hold if you think it is inaccurate. If we do not agree with the requested change, we will provide you with a written explanation. In addition, we will include in the record your statement that explains what you disagree with and what you would like to have amended. 

  • Right to an Accounting of Disclosures: You have a right to know what PHI we disclose. If you ask for it, we will give you a written list of the PHI we have provided to others and to whom. 

  • Right to Request Restriction or Limitation: You can ask us not to disclose PHI with certain people by filling out a Request for Restriction form. If we feel that we need to disclose that PHI, or are legally required to, we may not agree to the restriction, but in that case we will explain our reasons to you in writing. If you paid for services out-of-pocket, and in full, we will not disclose PHI related to those services to your health plan.

  • Right to Request Confidential Communications: You can tell us how to communicate with you and restrict the way we do it, and we will do everything we can to follow your wishes. For example, you may ask us not to contact you at work, or not to leave messages on your voicemail. 

  • Copy of this Notice: You have the right to a written copy of this notice. 

  • Notification in the case of a Breach: While we do our best to make sure that PHI about you remains private, there are rare situations in which your PHI may be disclosed to unauthorized persons. This is considered a “breach”. You have the right to be notified if there is a breach of your Protected Health Information. 

  • Complaints: If you believe that your privacy rights have been violated, you can file a complaint with us (through our Privacy Officer) or through the Office for Civil Rights. You will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint.

How to file a complaint:  

1.  Call the Bay Cove Privacy Officer at 617-371-3082 

2.  Go to: http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/index.html, or call the Office for Civil Rights at 800-368-1019  (TDD:  800-537-7697)