
		National Council on Alcoholism/Lansing Regional Area 3400 S Cedar Street, Suite 200 Lansing, MI 48910 (517) 887-0226 or (800) 337-2310 FAX: (517) 887-8121 email: info@ncalra.com
		*Helping break the cycle of addiction*

NATIONAL COUNCIL ON ALCOHOLISM/LANSING REGIONAL AREA, INC.

Notice of Policies & Practice to Protect the Privacy of Health Information

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

General Information

Information regarding you health care, including payment for health care is protected by two federal laws: the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), 42 U.S.C.§ 1320d et seq., 45 C.F.R. Parts 160 & 164, and the Confidentiality, 42 U.S.C. § 290dd-2, 42 C.F.R. Part 2. Under these laws, the National Council on Alcoholism/Lansing Regional Area (NCA) may not say to a person outside NCA that you attend the program, nor may NCA disclose any information identifying you as an alcohol or other drug abuser, or disclose any other protected information except as permitted by federal law.

NCA/LRA must obtain your written consent before it can disclose information about you for payment purposes. For example, NCA must obtain your written consent before it can disclose information to your health insurer in order to be paid for services. Generally, you must also sign a written consent before NCA can share information for treatment purposes or for health care operations. However, federal law permits NCA to disclose information without your written permission:

Pursuant to an agreement with a business associate (health services agency) for purposes of referral
For research, audit or evaluations;
To report a crime committed on NCA’s premises or against NCA personnel;
To medical personnel in a medical emergency;
To appropriate authorities to report suspected child abuse or neglect
As allowed by a court order

For example, NCA can disclose information without your consent to obtain legal or financial services, or to another medical facility to provide health care to you, as long as there is a business associate agreement in place.

Before NCA can use or disclose any information about your health in a manner that is not described above, it must first obtain your specific written consent allowing it to make the disclosure. You may revoke in writing, any such written consent.

Your Rights

Under HIPAA you have the:

	Right to Request Restrictions on certain uses and disclosures of your health information
	Right to Receive Confidential Communications by Alternative Means and at Alternative Locations – NCA is not required to agree to any restrictions you request but if it does agree then it is bout by that agreement and may not use or disclose any information which you have restricted except as necessary in a medical emergency. You have the right to request that we communicate with you by alternative means or at an alternative location. (For example, you may not want a family member to know that you are a client at this agency.) NCA will accommodate such requests that are reasonable and will not request an explanation from you.
	Right to Inspect and Copy your own health information maintained by NCA, except to the extent that the information contains psychotherapy notes or information compiled for use in a civil, criminal or administrative proceeding or in other limited circumstances.
	Right to Amend, with some exceptions health care information maintained in NCA records.
	Right to Request and Receive an Accounting of disclosures of your health related information made by NCA during the six years prior to your request.
	Right to A Paper Copy of this notice.
	Right to Revoke in writing any or all releases.

NCA’s Duties

NCA is required by law to maintain the privacy of your health information and to provide you with notice of its legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your health information.

NCA is required by law to abide by the terms of this notice.

NCA reserves the right to change the terms of this notice and to make new notice provisions effective for all protected health information it maintains. If policies and procedures are revised, NCA will notify you by mail to the address you have supplied to us.

Complaints and Reporting Violations

If at any time while you are an admitted client at NCA and would like further information about your privacy rights or if you believe that your privacy rights have been violated under HIPAA, you may speak with NCA’s HIPAA Privacy Officer:

Michelle M. LaVoy, Quality Improvement Coordinator.

National Council on Alcoholism/Lansing Regional Area, Inc.

3400 S. Cedar Street, Suite 200

Lansing, MI 48910-4606

(517) 887-0226

You can also file a complaint with the:

Secretary of Health and Human Services.

201 Independence Avenue SW

Washington DC, 20201 or by calling

(202) 619-0257 or 1-800-696-6775

Please note that NCA/LRA will not retaliate against you if you choose to raise a privacy issue.

Violation of the Confidentiality Law by a program is a crime. Suspected violations fo the Confidentiality Law may be reported to the United States Attorney in the district where the violation occurs.

Effective Date

This notice is effective April 14, 2003.

	M Suzanne Wyatt		Last Modified : 10/10/03 10:36 AM
	Copyright 2003