This notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information. Please review carefully.
CareBridge is required by law to maintain the privacy of your health information. We are also required to provide you or your representative with this notice about our privacy practice, our legal duties and your rights concerning your health information. We must abide by the terms of this notice while it is in effect. We reserve the right to change the terms of this notice and to make the new notice provisions effective for all health information that we maintain. If we change this notice, we will make a copy of the revised notice available to you or your appointed representative at our website. Your health information will be retained by CareBridge for as long as necessary to fulfill the purpose for which it was obtained and for all periods of time required by applicable law. Following such periods of time, your personal health information will be disposed of by CareBridge in a secure manner that prevents loss, theft, misuse, and / or unauthorized access and in accordance with all applicable legal requirements.
CareBridge may use or disclose your health information for purposes of treating you, obtaining payment for your care and conducting health care operations. CareBridge has established policies to guard against unnecessary uses or disclosures of your health information. Carebridge will not require you to waive your rights granted by federal privacy laws as a condition of the provision of treatment, payment, enrollment, or eligibility for health benefits.
A. To Provide Treatment: CareBridge may use your health information to coordinate care within CareBridge and with others involved in your care, such as your attending physician, members of the CareBridge interdisciplinary team and other healthcare professionals who have agreed to assist CareBridge in coordinating your care. For example, physicians involved in your care will need information about your symptoms to prescribe appropriate medications. CareBridge may also disclose your health care information to individuals outside of CareBridge who are involved in your care including family members, clergy whom you have designated, pharmacists, suppliers of medical equipment or other healthcare professionals that CareBridge works with to coordinate your care.
B. To Obtain Payment: CareBridge may disclose your health information to collect payment from third parties for the care you may receive from CareBridge. For example, CareBridge may be required by your health insurer to provide information regarding your health care status so that the insurer will reimburse you or CareBridge. CareBridge may also need to obtain prior approval from your insurer and may need to explain to the insurer your need for care and the services that will be provided to you.
C. To Conduct Health Care Operations: CareBridge may use and disclose health care information for its own operations to facilitate the function of CareBridge and, as necessary, to provide quality care to all CareBridge’s patients. Health care operations include, without limitation, such activities as:
D. Family, Friends and Others Involved in Your Care or Payment: Unless you object, we may disclose your health information to a family member, friend, or any other person you involve in your care or payment for your health care. We will disclose only the information that is relevant to the person’s involvement in your care or payment.
E. Business Associates: CareBridge may disclose your health information to its business associates that perform functions on its behalf or provide it with services if the information is necessary for such functions or services. CareBridge’s business associates are required, under contract with CareBridge, to protect the privacy of your information and are not allowed to use or disclose any information other than as specified in its contract with CareBridge.
A. When Legally Required: CareBridge will disclose your health information when it is required to do so by any Federal, State or Local law.
B. For Public Health Activities: CareBridge may disclose your health information when authorized by law to do so for public activities and purposes, such as to:
C. To Report Abuse, Neglect or Domestic Violence: CareBridge may disclose your health information to government authorities if we believe you are the victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence. CareBridge will make this disclosure only when specifically required or authorized by law or when the patient agrees to the disclosure.
D. To Conduct Health Oversight Activities: CareBridge may disclose your health information to a health oversight agency for activities including audits, civil administrative or criminal investigations, inspections, licensure, or disciplinary action. CareBridge may not, however, disclose your health information if you are the subject of an investigation and your health information is not directly related to your receipt of health care or public benefits. CareBridge may disclose your health information to the Department of Health Service Regulation to validate CareBridge’s compliance with state law. You have the right to object to a disclosure of your health information to the state Department of Health Service Regulation for this purpose. Such objections shall be made in writing on your Consent form upon admission or to the CareBridge Privacy Officer.
E. In Connections With Judicial and Administrative Proceedings: CareBridge may disclose your health information in the course of any judicial or administrative proceeding in response to an order of a court or administrative tribunal as expressly authorized by such an order or, in response to a subpoena, discovery request or other lawful process, but only when CareBridge makes reasonable efforts to either notify you about the request or to obtain an order protecting your health information.
F. For Law Enforcement Purposes: CareBridge may disclose your health information to a law enforcement official for law enforcement purposes as follows:
G. To Coroners and Medical Examiners: CareBridge may disclose your health information to coroners and medical examiners for purposes of determining your cause of death or for other duties, as authorized by law.
H. Funeral Directors: CareBridge may disclose your health information to funeral directors consistent with applicable law and, if necessary, to carry out their duties with respect to your funeral arrangements. If necessary to carry out their duties, CareBridge may disclose your health information prior to and in reasonable anticipation of your death.
I. In The Event of a Serious Threat to Health or Safety: CareBridge may, consistent with applicable law and ethical standards of conduct, disclose your health information if CareBridge, in good faith, believes that such disclosure is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to your health or safety or to the health and safety of the public.
J. For Specified Government Functions: In certain circumstances, Federal regulations authorize CareBridge to use or disclose your health information to facilitate specified government functions relating to military personnel and veterans, national security and intelligence activities, protective services for the President and others, medical suitability determinations, and inmates and law enforcement custody.
K. For Worker’s Compensation: CareBridge may release your health information for Worker’s Compensation or similar programs.
Other than as stated above, CareBridge will not disclose your health information without your written authorization. If you or your representative authorizes CareBridge to use or disclose your health information, you may revoke that authorization in writing at any time, except to the extent that CareBridge has already acted upon your authorization. CareBridge will obtain your authorization prior to: (a) disclosing your Psychotherapy Notes, if applicable; (b) using your health information for most marketing communications, except face-to-face communications, whenever CareBridge is paid by a third party for making such communications; or disclosing your health information in a manner which constitutes the sale of such information under the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and its implementing regulations.
You have the following rights regarding your health information maintained by CareBridge:
A. Right to Request Restrictions: You have the right to request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures of your health information. For example, you may request a limit on CareBridge’s disclosure of your health information to someone who is involved in your care or the payment of your care. All requests for restrictions must be made in writing. Except in limited circumstances, CareBridge is not required to agree to your request. Except as otherwise required by law, CareBridge must agree to a restriction request if: (i) the disclosure is to a health plan for purposes of carrying out a payment or health care operations (and not for purposes of carrying out treatment); and (ii) the health information pertains solely to a health care item or service for which you, or another person other than the health plan on your behalf, has paid CareBridge in full. This restriction will apply only to those health care records created on the date that you received the item or service for which you, or another person other than the health plan on your behalf, paid CareBridge in full, and which document the item or service provided by CareBridge.
B. Right to Request Confidential Communications: You have the right to request that CareBridge communicate with you in a certain way. For example, you may ask that CareBridge only conduct communications pertaining to your health information with you privately and with no other family members present. All requests for confidential communications must be made in writing. CareBridge will not request that you provide any reason(s) for your request and will attempt to honor your reasonable requests for confidential communication.
C. Right to Inspect and Copy Your Health Information: You have the right to inspect and copy your health information, including billing records. All requests to inspect and copy health information must be made in writing. If you request a copy of your health information, CareBridge may charge a reasonable fee for copying and assembling costs associated with your request. In limited circumstances, CareBridge may deny your request to inspect and copy your health information; however, you may request a review of the denial by a licensed healthcare professional who CareBridge has designated as a reviewing official and who did not participate in the original decision to deny the request.
D. Right to Request Amendment of Your Health Information: If you believe that your health information records are incorrect or incomplete, you have the right to request that CareBridge amend the records. That request may be made as long as the information is maintained by CareBridge. A request for an amendment of records must be made in writing and must contain a reason to support the requested amendment. The request may be denied if your health information records were not created by CareBridge, if the records you are requesting are not part of CareBridge’s records, if the health information you wish to amend is not part of the health information you or your representative are permitted to inspect and copy, or if, in the opinion of CareBridge, the records containing your health information are accurate and complete.
E. Right to Request an Accounting of Disclosures: You have the right to request an accounting of disclosures of your health information made by CareBridge for any reason other than for treatment, payment or health operations. The request for an accounting must be made in writing. The request should specify the time period for the accounting starting April 14, 2003. Accounting requests may not be made for periods of time in excess of six years. CareBridge will provide the first accounting you request during any 12-month period without charge. Subsequent accounting requests may be subject to a reasonable cost-based fee.
F. Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice: You have the right to a separate paper copy of this notice at any time even if you have received this notice previously.
G. Right to Receiver Breach Notification: You have the right to receive notice of a breach of your unsecured health information. This notification may be delayed or not provided if so required by law enforcement official, you may request that this notice be provided by electronic mail. If you are deceased and there is a breach of your health information, the notice will be provided to your next of kin or personal representative if we know the identity and address of such individual(s).
Last Reviewed: October 31, 2023
For all queries to CareBridge related to any of the aforementioned Privacy Policy guidelines stated above, please contact our Privacy hotline at 615-379-7793.
If complaints to CareBridge regarding your privacy rights are not resolved satisfactorily, you may notify:
Secretary of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Ave. SW
Washington DC 20201
877-696-6775 (Toll Free)
CareBridge complies with all applicable federal civil rights laws, including Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (Section 1557). CareBridge does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin (including limited English proficiency and primary language), age, disability, or sex (consistent with the scope of sex discrimination described at 45 CFR § 92.101(a)(2)).
In compliance with Section 1557 and other federal civil rights laws, we provide individuals the following in a timely manner and free of charge:
To access our language assistance services, auxiliary aids and services, and for assistance in getting a reasonable modification, please contact CareBridge Operations Team at feedback@carebridgehealth.com, Attention: Section 1557 Assistance.
For additional assistance, you may also contact CareBridge Section 1557 Coordinator by emailing compliance@carebridgehealth.com, Attention: Section 1557 Coordinator.
If you believe CareBridge has failed to provide these services or has discriminated in another way on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability, you can:
1. File a grievance by emailing the Section 1557 Coordinator at compliance@carebridgehealth.com and stating the manner in which you believe CareBridge has failed to provide the services or has discriminated on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.
2. File a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights:
Electronically: https://ocrportal.hhs.gov/ocr/smartscreen/main.jsf
Via mail:
U.S.Department of Health & Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W. – 509F
Washington, D.C. 20201
