This Notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed by Care Oncology, Inc. and its affiliates and how you can get access to this information. Please review it carefully.  

We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of protected health information (PHI), and provide individuals with this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to PHI. We are also required to abide by the terms of the notice currently in effect.  

“Protected health information” or “PHI” is information about you, including demographic information, that may identify you and that relates to your past, present or future physical or mental health or condition, related health care services or future payment for the provision of heath care to you. PHI does not include information about you that is in a summary form that does not identify who you are.  

This Notice of Privacy Practices describes how we, our Business Associates and their subcontractors, may use and disclose your protected health information to carry out treatment, payment or health care operations and for other purposes that are permitted or required by law. It also describes your rights to access and control your protected health information. We will not use or disclose your PHI without your prior written authorization, expect as permitted or required by law and described in this Notice. This Notice applies to all Care Oncology Clinics within the United States as well as the physicians and other licensed professionals seeing and treating patients at Care Oncology Clinics facilities 

Use and Disclose of your Protected Health Information WITHOUT YOUR CONSENT 

TREATMENT  

We will use and disclose your protected health information to provide, coordinate, or manage your health care and any related services. For example, your protected health information may be provided to a physician to whom you have been referred to ensure that the physician has the necessary information to diagnose or treat you. We will abide by the patient’s request not to disclose PHI to a health plan for services which the patient has paid out of pocket and requests the restriction.  

PAYMENT  

Your protected health information will be used, as needed, to obtain payment for your health care services.  

HEALTHCARE OPERATIONS  

We may use or disclose, as needed, your protected health information in connection with our health care operations. For example, we may use your PHI for resolution of any grievance or appeal that you file if you are unhappy with the care you have received. We may use your PHI to perform certain business functions and disclose your PHI to our business associates, who must also agree to safeguard your PHI as required by law.  In addition, “health care operations” include conducting quality assessment and improvement activities, including outcomes evaluation and development of clinical guidelines; patient safety activities; population-based activities relating to protocol development, case management and care coordination, contacting of health care providers and patients with information about treatment alternatives, and related functions that do not include treatment; submitting claims for stop-loss coverage; conducting or arranging for medical review, legal services, and audit services; wellness and disease management programs; and business planning, development, management and general administration of the clinical lab. 

Under the law, we must also disclose your protected health information when required by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to investigate or determine our compliance with the requirements under 45 CFR Part 164. 

OTHER TYPES OF USE AND DISCLOSURES (NO AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED) 

We are also allowed by law to use and disclose your PHI without your authorization for the following purposes when the conditions set forth by applicable law for each respective type of disclosure are met: 

When required by law – In some circumstances, we are required by federal or state laws to disclose certain PHI to others, such as public agencies for various reasons. 

For public health activities – Such as reports about communicable diseases, defective medical devices or work-related health issues. 

Reports about child and other types of abuse or neglect, or domestic violence. 

For health oversight activities – Such as reports to governmental agencies that are responsible for licensing or disciplinary action against physicians or other health care providers. 

For lawsuits and other proceedings – In connection with court proceedings or proceedings before administrative agencies. 

For law enforcement purposes – In response to a warrant, or to report a crime. 

Reports to coroners, medical examiners, or funeral directors – To assist them in performance of their legal duties. 

For tissue or organ donations – To organ procurement or transplant organizations to assist them. 

For research – To medical researchers with an approval of an institutional review board (IRB) or privacy board that oversees studies on human subjects. Researchers are also required to safeguard your PHI. 

To avert a serious threat to the health or safety of you or other members of the public. 

For specialized government functions and activities.  

In connection with services provided under workers’ compensation laws. 

Use and Disclose of your Protected Health Information WITH YOUR CONSENT 

Other Permitted and Required Uses and Disclosures will be made only with your consent, authorization or opportunity to object unless required by law. We may disclose your PHI to your family members or other persons if they are involved on your care or payment for that care. We may disclose your PHI to notify and assist disaster relief organisations in their relief efforts. We will provide you with the opportunity to agree or to object prior to these disclosures if are present or otherwise available prior to these uses or disclosures.  

YOUR RIGHTS  

You have the following rights regarding medical information we maintain about you: 

Obtain a Paper Copy of the Notice. You have the right to request and receive a paper copy of this Notice, even if you have agreed to receive the Notice electronically. You may contact us for a copy, and one will be provided to you at no charge. 

Inspect and have a copy of your protected health information (fees may apply). Pursuant to your written request you have the right to inspect or have a copy of your protected health information whether in paper or electronic format. The records will be provided within 30 days of request. To exercise this right, you must send a written request. We may charge a reasonable, cost-bases fee. 

Under federal law, however, you may not inspect or copy the following records: Psychotherapy notes, information compiled in reasonable anticipation of, or used in, a civil, criminal, or administrative action or proceeding, protected health information restricted by law, information that is related to medical research in which you have agreed to participate, information whose disclosure may result in harm or injury to you or to another person, or information that was obtained under a promise of confidentiality.  

Request a restriction of your protected health information.  You have the right to ask us not to use or disclose any part of your protected health information for the purposes of treatment, payment healthcare operations and certain other purposes. You may also request that any part of your protected health information not be disclosed to family members or friends who may be involved in your care or for notification purposes as described in this Notice of Privacy Practices. Your request must state the specific restriction requested and to whom you want the restriction to apply. All requests must be made in writing.  

Request an amendment of PHI. You have the right to request that PHI that we maintain about you be amended or corrected. All requests for an amendment of your PHI must be submitted in writing. We may say “no” to your request, but we will tell you why in writing within 60 days.  

Request to receive confidential communications. You have a right to request to receive communications of PHI by alternate means or at alternate locations. For instance, you may request that we contact you about medical matters only in writing or at a different residence or post office box. 

Receive an accounting of certain disclosures.  You have the right to receive an accounting of disclosures, paper or electronic, except for disclosures: pursuant to an authorization, for purposes of treatment, payment, healthcare operations. You must submit your request in writing to us. Your request must specify the time period for which you would like an accounting, but this time period may not be longer than six years prior to your request. We will provide one accounting a year for free, but we will charge a reasonable cost-based fee if you ask for another within 12 months.  

Receive notice of a breach. We will notify you if your medical information has been “breached,” which means that your medical information has been used or disclosed in a way that is inconsistent with law and results in it being compromised. 

Complaints and Questions  

If you believe that your privacy rights have not been followed as directed by applicable law or as explained in this Notice, you may file a complaint with us. You may also file a complaint with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. You will not be penalized for filing a complaint. 

Please send any complaints and questions to us via the contact information below.  

Care Oncology  
8751 Park Central Drive | Suite 200 
Richmond, VA 23227 
1-800-392-1358 
support@careoncology.com 

Changes to this Notice 

We may change the terms of this Notice, and the changes will apply to all information we have about you. The new Notice will be available upon request and on our website www.careoncology.com. 

Effective Date  

February 10, 2022