Notice of Privacy Practices
Notice of Privacy Practices
Updated Effective Date: January 1st, 2021
This Notice of Privacy Practices (“Notice”) outlines how Madson, Inc. ("Madson," "We," "Us," or "Our") handles medical information about you and your protected health information (PHI). It is our commitment to protect the confidentiality of your health information and comply with applicable privacy laws, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). Please review this Notice carefully to understand how we use and disclose your health information and your rights concerning your PHI.
1. Our Use and Disclosure of PHI
We use and disclose your PHI for various purposes related to treatment, payment, and healthcare operations, as permitted by HIPAA. Some examples of these activities include (but are not limited to):
Treatment: We keep records of the PHI you provide during the course of using our services. This information may include eye examination results, Prescription Check application data, prescription information, vision insurance details, and other relevant health information. We may disclose this information to doctors, nurses, optical dispensers, and other entities involved in your healthcare to meet your needs effectively.
Payment: We maintain records of the services you receive to facilitate billing and payment activities. If applicable, we may share information with your vision insurance plan to process payments or obtain prior approval for certain services.
Healthcare Operations: We use PHI for improving our services, staff training, case management, care coordination, quality improvement, performance evaluation, marketing activities as permitted under HIPAA, customer service, and other internal business purposes.
In addition to the above, we may use or disclose your PHI in the following circumstances:
- To comply with federal, state, or local laws.
- For public health and safety activities, such as tracking diseases or medical devices.
- To protect victims of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence.
- For health oversight activities, audits, inspections, and investigations.
- To respond to law enforcement officials, report crimes or emergencies, or comply with lawful orders or subpoenas.
- For organ, eye, or tissue donation or procurement purposes.
- For research or research-related purposes following internal review protocols.
- To prevent or reduce a serious threat to anyone's health or safety.
- For specialized government functions like national security, intelligence, and protective services.
- For military and veteran activities if you are a member or veteran of the armed forces.
- For correctional institutions or custodial situations, such as if you are an inmate.
- For workers' compensation purposes to carriers or your employer if you are injured at work and as required by relevant laws.
- To inform you about health-related products and services or alternative treatments, therapies, providers, or care settings.
- For case management, care coordination, and related functions.
- To communicate with individuals involved in your care or payment for that care.
- For notice or disaster relief purposes, including regarding decedents.
- For internal communication within our organization related to treatment, payment, or healthcare operations.
- To other providers, health plans, or related entities for their treatment, payment, or healthcare operations activities.
- To provide services to affiliated eye practices to assist them in providing services to you.
Any other uses or disclosures not mentioned in this Notice will require your written permission (authorization). We will obtain your authorization before using or disclosing your PHI for certain purposes, such as marketing or the sale of PHI. You have the right to revoke your authorization in writing, but we cannot take back any disclosures made with your previous permission.
2. Your HIPAA Rights with Respect to Your PHI
You have certain rights concerning your PHI maintained by Madson. These rights include:
Inspect and Copy: You have the right to request access to and copies of certain portions of your PHI, whether in electronic or paper form. We may deny your request in limited circumstances and will inform you of the reason for the denial.
Amend: You can ask us to amend your PHI if you believe it is incorrect or incomplete. We may deny your request in certain situations, but we will provide a written explanation if we do so.
Accounting of Disclosures: You can request a list (accounting) of disclosures of your PHI made by us over the past six years, including whom we shared your PHI with and the purpose of the disclosure. Some disclosures are not included in this list, such as those made for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations.
Restrictions on Disclosure: You have the right to request restrictions on how we use or disclose your PHI for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations. We may deny such requests, except when you pay for services out of pocket in full.
Confidential Communication: You can request that we communicate with you in a specific manner, such as a designated telephone number or mailing address.
Paper Copy: You have the right to obtain a paper copy of this Notice upon request.
Choose Someone to Act for You: If you have authorized someone to act on your behalf, they may exercise your rights and make choices about your PHI.
3. Changes to This Notice
We may update this Notice to comply with applicable laws and reflect changes in our business. Any revised Notice will apply to all PHI we maintain, including previously obtained information. We will post the updated Notice on our website and mobile applications and provide it upon request.
4. Contacting Madson
To exercise your rights or for more information about our privacy practices, please contact us:
Email: support@MadsonOfAmerica.com
Address: 615 S. Tremont Street, Oceanside, CA 92694
Phone: 1-888-273-1664