IN 1996, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ENACTED THE HEALTH INSURANCE PORTABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT (HIPAA). IT APPLIES TO ALL WITHIN THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY THAT HANDLE INFORMATION ELECTRONICALLY. LIKE MOST HEALTH PLANS, PHYSICIANS, AND HOSPITALS, HIPAA REQUIRES US TO NOTIFY OUR CUSTOMERS OF OUR PRIVACY PRACTICES. DATE OF NOTICE: OCTOBER 2009

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

This notice describes our pharmacy′s practices of using and disclosing patient information entered into your medical record. We attempt to work only with other health care providers that agree to follow the provisions, conditions and requirements of HIPAA in the handling of your medical record or private health information, but we do not and cannot guarantee their compliance with HIPAA. if we become aware of any HIPAA violation, we will comply with all rules, regulations, laws and statutes that govern such violations.

WHY THIS NOTICE?

We understand that medical information about you and your health is personal. We are committed to protecting medical information about you. We create a record of the care and services you receive at this pharmacy. We need this record to provide you with quality care and to comply with certain legal requirements. This notice applies to all of the records of your care generated by our pharmacy, whether made by Pharmacy personnel or your personal doctor. Your personal doctor may have different policies or notices regarding the doctor’s use and disclosure of your medical information created in the doctor’s office or clinic. This notice will tell you about the ways in which we may use and disclose medical information about you. We also describe your rights and certain obligations we have regarding the use and disclosure of medical information. We are required by law to: 1) Ensure that medical information that identifies you is kept private; 2) Provide you with a notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to medical information about you; and 3) Follow the terms of the notice that is currently in effect.

HOW MAY WE USE AND DISCLOSE MEDICAL INFORMATION?

The following categories describe different ways that we use and disclose medical information. For each category of uses or disclosures we will explain what we mean and try to give some examples. Not every use or disclosure in a category will be listed. However, all of the ways we are permitted to use and disclose information will fall within one of the categories.

• For Treatment. We may use medical information about you to provide you with medical treatment or services. We may disclose medical information about you to doctors, nurses, technicians, medical students, caregivers, or other personnel who are involved in taking care of you. We also may disclose medical information about you to people outside the pharmacy who may be involved in your medical care after you leave the pharmacy, such as family members, caregivers, or others to provide services that are part of your care.
• For Payment. We may use and disclose medical information about you so that the treatment and services you receive at the pharmacy may be billed to and payment may be collected from you, an insurance company, health plan or a third-party billing company. For example, we may need to give your health plan information about a prescription you had filled at this pharmacy so your health plan will pay us or reimburse you.
• For Health Care Operations. We may use and disclose medical information about you for pharmacy operations. These uses and disclosures are necessary to run the pharmacy and make sure that all of our patients receive quality care. For example, we may use medical information to review our treatment and services and to evaluate the performance of our staff in caring for you. We may also combine medical information about many patients to decide what additional services we should offer or what services are not needed. We may also disclose information to doctors, nurses, technicians, medical students, and other personnel for review and learning purposes. We may remove information that identifies you from this set of medical information so others may use it to study health care and health care delivery without knowing your personal information.
• To Recommend Treatment Alternatives. We may use and disclose medical information to tell you about or recommend possible treatment options or alternatives that may be of interest to yo.
• For Health-Related Benefits and Services. We may use and disclose medical information to tell you about health-related benefits or services that may be of interest to you.
• For Individuals Involved in Your Care or Payment for Your Care. We may release medical information about you to a friend, family member or caregiver who is involved in your medical care. We may also give information to someone who helps pay for your care.
• For Business Associates. We may also disclose your personal information with third party "business associates" who perform certain activities for us like third party billing, computer systems assistance, and document shredding. We require these business associates to afford your personal information the same protections afforded by us.
• For Research. Under certain circumstances, we may use and disclose medical information about you for research purposes. For example, a research project may involve comparing the health and recovery of all patients who received one medication to those who received another, for the same condition. All research projects, however, are subject to a special approval process. This process evaluates a proposed research project and its use of medical information, trying to balance the research needs with patients’ need for privacy of their medical information. Before we use or disclose medical information for research, the project will have been approved through this research approval process, but we may, however, disclose medical information about you to people preparing to conduct a research project, for example, to help them look for patients with specific medical needs, so long as the medical information they review does not leave the pharmacy. We will always ask for your specific permission if the researcher will have access to your name, address or other information that reveals who you are, or will be involved in your care.
• To Avert a Serious Threat to Health or Safety. We may use and disclose medical information about you when necessary to prevent a serious threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of the public or another person. Any disclosure, however, would only be to someone able to help prevent the threat.
• As Required By Law. We will disclose medical information about you when required to do so by federal, state or local law.
• For Military Personnel and Veterans. If you are a member of the armed forces, we may release medical information about you as required by military command authorities. We may also release medical information about foreign military personnel to the appropriate foreign military authority.
• For Workers’ Compensation. We may release medical information about you for workers’ compensation or similar programs. These programs provide benefits for work-related injuries or illness.
• For Public Health Risks. We may disclose medical information about you for public health activities. These activities generally include the following: to prevent or control disease, injury or disability; to report births and deaths; to report child abuse or neglect; to report reactions to medications or problems with products; to notify people of recalls of products they may be using; to notify a person who may have been exposed to a disease or may be at risk for contracting or spreading a disease or condition; to notify the appropriate government authority if we believe a patient has been the victim of abuse, neglect or domestic violence. We will only make this disclosure if you agree or when required or authorized by law.
• For Health Oversight Activities. We may disclose medical information to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law. These oversight activities include, for example, audits, investigations, inspections, and licensure. These activities are necessary for the government to monitor the health care system, government programs, and compliance with civil rights laws.
• For Lawsuits and Disputes. If you are involved in a lawsuit or a dispute, we may disclose medical information about you in response to a court or administrative order. We may also disclose medical information about you in response to a subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process by someone else involved in the dispute, but only if efforts have been made to tell you about the request or to obtain an order protecting the information requested.
• For Law Enforcement. We may release medical information if asked to do so by a law enforcement official (1) in response to a court order, subpoena, warrant, summons or similar process, (2) to identify or locate a suspect, fugitive, material witness, or missing person, (3) about the victim of a crime if, under certain limited circumstances, we are unable to obtain the person’s agreement, (4) about a death that may be the result of criminal conduct, (5) in emergency circumstances to report a crime, the location of the crime or victims, or the identity, description or location of the person who committed the crime.
• For Coroners, Medical Examiners and Funeral Directors. We may release medical information to a coroner or medical examiner. This may be necessary, for example, to identify a deceased person or determine the cause of death. We may also release medical information about a patient to funeral directors as necessary to carry out their duties.
• For National Security and Intelligence Activities. We may release medical information about you to authorized federal officials for intelligence, counterintelligence, and other national security activities authorized by law. We may also disclose medical information about you to authorized federal officials so they may provide protection to the President, other authorized persons or foreign heads of state or conduct special investigations.
• For Inmates. If you are an inmate of a correctional institution or under the custody of a law enforcement official, we may release medical information about you to the correctional institution or law enforcement official. This release would be necessary (1) for the institution to provide you with health care; (2) to protect your health and safety or the health and safety of others; or (3) for the safety and security of the correctional institution.

WHAT ARE YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU?

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

• Right to Inspect and Copy. You have the right to inspect and copy medical information that may be used to make decisions about your care. Usually, this includes medical and billing records, but does not include psychotherapy notes. To inspect and copy medical information that may be used to make decisions about you, you must submit your request in writing. If you request a copy of the information, we may charge a fee for the costs of copying, mailing or other supplies associated with your request. We may deny your request to inspect and copy in certain very limited circumstances. If you are denied access to medical information, you may request that the denial be reviewed. Another licensed health care professional chosen by the pharmacy will review your request and the denial. The person conducting the review will not be the person who denied your request. We will comply with the outcome of the review.
• Right to Amend. If you feel that medical information we have about you is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask us to amend the information. You have the right to request an amendment for as long as the information is kept by or for the pharmacy. To request an amendment, your request must be made in writing. In addition, you must provide a reason that supports your request. We may deny your request for an amendment if it is not in writing or does not include a reason to support the request. In addition, we may deny your request if you ask us to amend information that: (1) was request if you ask us to amend information that: (1)not created by us, unless the person or entity that created the information is no longer available to make the amendment; (2) is not part of the medical information kept by or for the pharmacy; (3) is not part of the information which you would be permitted to inspect and copy; or (4)is accurate and complete.
• Right to an Accounting of Disclosures. You have the right to request an "accounting of disclosures." This is a list of the disclosures we made of medical information about you for most purposes other than treatment, payment or operations. The accounting will exclude certain disclosures, such as disclosures made to you, disclosures you authorize, and disclosures to friends or family members involved in your care. To request this list or accounting of disclosures, you must submit your request in writing. Your request must state a time period, which may not be longer than six years, and may not include dates before the date of this notice. Your request should indicate in what form you want the list (for example, on paper, electronically). The first list you request within a 12-month period will be free. For additional lists, we may charge you for the costs of providing the list. We will notify you upfront of the cost involved and you may choose to withdraw or modify your request.
• Right to Request Restrictions. You have the right to request a restriction or limitation on the medical information we use or disclose about you for treatment, payment or health care operations. You also have the right to request a limit on the medical information we disclose about you to someone who is involved in your care or the payment for your care, like a family member or friend. For example, you could ask that we not use or disclose information about a surgery you had. We are not required to agree to your request. If we do agree, we will comply with your request unless the information is needed to provide you emergency treatment. To request restrictions, you must make your request in writing. In your request, you must tell us (1) what information you want to limit; (2) whether you want to limit our use, disclosure or both; and (3) to whom you want the limits to apply, for example, disclosures to your spouse.
• Right to Request Confidential Communications. You have the right to request that we communicate with you about medical matters in a certain way or at a certain location. For example, you can ask that we only contact you at work or by mail. To request confidential communications, you must make your request in writing. We will not ask you the reason for your request.
  
  We will accommodate all reasonable requests. Your request must specify how or where you wish to be contacted.
• Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice. You have the right to a paper copy of this notice. You may ask us to give you a copy of this notice at any time. Even if you have agreed to receive this notice electronically, you are still entitled to a paper copy of this notice.

CAN WE MAKE CHANGES TO THIS NOTICE?

We reserve the right to change this notice. We reserve the right to make the revised or changed notice effective for medical information we already have about you, as well as any information we receive in the future. We will post a copy of the current notice in the pharmacy. The notice will contain an effective date. We will ask you to sign the notice on your first visit, but we will post revised copies of this notice in the pharmacy.

WHAT IF I HAVE COMPLAINTS?

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with the pharmacy. To file a complaint with the pharmacy, contact the Privacy Officer, Reece Christensen, at 208-552-7677 or Danny Seamons, at 208-323-0067. Our Privacy Officer is responsible for handling complaints. All complaints must be submitted in writing. You will not be penalized for filing a complaint. You may also file a complaint with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.

ARE THERE OTHER USES OF MEDICAL INFORMATION?

Other uses and disclosures of medical information not covered by this notice or the laws that apply to us will be made only with your written permission. If you provide us permission to use or disclose medical information about you, you may revoke that permission, in writing, at any time. If you revoke your permission, we will no longer use or disclose medical information about you for the reasons covered by your written authorization.

HOW TO CONTACT US

If you have any questions about this policy, for Idaho Falls please contact Reece Christensen, our Privacy Officer at: 208-552-7677, or for Boise please contact Danny Seamons, at 208-323-0067

[Social Security Act 1834(j); 42 U.S.C. 1395m(j); 65 Fed. Reg. 60,366 (2000) (to be codified at 42 C.F.R. pt. 424.57)]

Following are the new supplier standards as they appear in the Federal Register.

1. A supplier must be in compliance with all applicable Federal and State licensure and regulatory requirements.
2. A supplier must provide complete and accurate information on the DMEPOS supplier application. Any changes to this information must be reported to the National Supplier Clearinghouse within 30 days.
3. An authorized individual (one whose signature is binding) must sign the application for billing privileges.
4. A supplier must fill orders from its own inventory, or must contract with other companies for the purchase of items necessary to fill the order. A supplier may not contract with any entity that is currently excluded from the Medicare program, any State health care programs, or from any other Federal procurement or non-procurement programs.
5. A supplier must advise beneficiaries that they may rent or purchase inexpensive or routinely purchased durable medical equipment, and of the purchase option for capped rental equipment.
6. A supplier must notify beneficiaries of warranty coverage and honor all warranties under applicable State law, and repair or replace free of charge Medicare covered items that are under warranty.
7. A supplier must maintain a physical facility on an appropriate site.
8. A supplier must permit CMS or its agents to conduct on-site inspections to ascertain the supplier′s compliance with these standards. The supplier location must be accessible to beneficiaries during reasonable business hours, and must maintain a visible sign and posted hours of operation.
9. A supplier must maintain a primary business telephone listed under the name of the business in a local directory or a toll free number available through directory assistance. The exclusive use of a beeper, answering machine, or cell phone is prohibited.
10. A supplier must have comprehensive liability insurance in the amount of at least $300,000 that covers both the supplier′s place of business and all customers and employees of the supplier. If the supplier manufactures its own items, this insurance must also cover product liability and completed operations. Failure to maintain required insurance at all times will result in revocation of the supplier′s billing privileges retroactive to the date the insurance lapsed.
11. A supplier must agree not to initiate telephone contact with beneficiaries, with a few exceptions allowed. This standard prohibits suppliers from calling beneficiaries in order to solicit new business.
12. A supplier is responsible for delivery and must instruct beneficiaries on use of Medicare-covered items, and maintain proof of delivery.
13. A supplier must answer questions and respond to complaints of beneficiaries, and maintain documentation of such contacts.
14. A supplier must maintain and replace at no charge or repair directly, or through a service contract with another company, Medicare-covered items it has rented to beneficiaries.
15. A supplier must accept returns of substandard (less than full quality for the particular item) or unsuitable items (inappropriate for the beneficiary at the time it was fitted and rented or sold) from beneficiaries.
16. A supplier must disclose these supplier standards to each beneficiary to whom it supplies a Medicare-covered item.
17. A supplier must disclose to the government any person having ownership, financial, or control interest in the supplier.
18. A supplier must not convey or reassign a supplier number; i.e. the supplier may not sell or allow another entity to use its Medicare Supplier Billing Number.
19. A supplier must have a complaint resolution protocol established to address beneficiary complaints that relate to these standards. A record of these complaints must be maintained at the physical facility.
20. Complaint records must include: the name, address, telephone number and health insurance claim number of the beneficiary, a summary of the complaint, and any actions taken to resolve it.
21. A supplier must agree to furnish CMS any information required by the Medicare statute and implementing regulations.
22. All suppliers must be accredited by a CMS-approved accreditation organization in order to receive and retain a supplier billing number. The accreditation must indicate the specific products and services, for which the supplier is accredited in order for the supplier to receive payment of those specific products and services (except for certain exempt pharmaceuticals).
23. All suppliers must notify their accreditation organization when a new DMEPOS location is opened.
24. All supplier locations, whether owned or subcontracted, must meet the DMEPOS quality standards and be separately accredited in order to bill Medicare.
25. All suppliers must disclose upon enrollment all products and services, including the addition of new product lines for which they are seeking accreditation
26. Must meet the surety bond requirements specified in 42 C.F.R. 424.57(c). Implementation date- May 4, 2009

Patient Rights

1. The patient has the right to considerate and respectful service.
2. The patient has the right to obtain service without regard to race, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability diagnosis or religious affiliation.
3. Subject to applicable law, the patient has the right to confidentiality of all information pertaining to his/her medical equipment service. Individuals or organizations not involved in the patient′s care, may not have access to the information without the patients written consent.
4. The patient has the right to make informed decisions about his/her care.
5. The patient has the right to reasonable continuity of care and service.
6. The patient has the right to voice grievances without fear of termination of service or other reprisal in the service process.

Patient Responsibilities

1. The patient should promptly notify the Home Medical Equipment Company of any equipment failure or damage.
2. The patient is responsible for any equipment that is lost or stolen while in their possession and should promptly notify Home Medical Equipment Company in such instances.
3. The patient should promptly notify the Home Medical Equipment Company of any changes to their address or telephone.
4. The patient should promptly notify the Home Medical l Equipment Company of any changes concerning their physician.
5. The patient should notify the Equipment Company of discontinuance of use.
6. Except where contrary to federal or state law, the patient is responsible for any equipment rental and sale charges which the patient′s insurance company(s) does not pay.