Your rights
When it comes to your health information, you have certain rights. You have the right to:
- Get a copy of your records. You can ask to see or get an electronic or paper copy of the health information we have about you. We will provide a copy or a summary, usually within 30 days of your request. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee.
- Ask us to correct your records. You can ask us to correct health information you think is incorrect or incomplete. We may say no, but we will tell you why in writing within 60 days.
- Request confidential communications. You can ask us to contact you in a specific way, such as a home or office phone, or to send mail to a different address. We will say yes to all reasonable requests.
- Ask us to limit what we use or share. You can ask us not to use or share certain health information for treatment, payment, or our operations. We are not required to agree, and we may say no if it would affect your care. If you pay for an item out of pocket in full, you can ask us not to share that information with your health insurer, and we will say yes unless a law requires us to share it.
- Get a list of those with whom we have shared information. You can ask for an accounting of the times we have shared your health information for six years prior to the date you ask, who we shared it with, and why. We will include all disclosures except those about treatment, payment, and health care operations, and certain others. We provide one accounting a year for free.
- Get a copy of this notice. You can ask for a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive it electronically.
- Choose someone to act for you. If you have given someone medical power of attorney or if someone is your legal guardian, that person can exercise your rights and make choices about your health information. We will confirm their authority before we act.
- File a complaint if you feel your rights are violated. You can complain to us using the contact details below. You can also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights by writing to 200 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20201, calling 1-877-696-6775, or visiting hhs.gov/ocr/complaints. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
Your choices
For certain health information, you can tell us your choices about what we share. If you have a clear preference, tell us and we will follow your instructions.
- You can tell us whether to share information with your family, close friends, or others involved in your care or in paying for your care, and whether to share information in a disaster relief situation.
- If you are not able to tell us your preference, for example if you are unconscious, we may share your information if we believe it is in your best interest, or when needed to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.
- We never share your information for marketing purposes, and we never sell your information, unless you give us written permission.
How we typically use or share your health information
- To treat you. We use your health information and share it with the professionals treating you. For example, we confirm equipment settings and fit with the doctor who wrote your prescription.
- To run our organization. We use and share your information to run our business, improve your care, and contact you when necessary. For example, we use it to schedule deliveries and resupply.
- To bill for your equipment. We use and share your information to bill and get payment from health plans or other entities. For example, we give information about your order to your insurance plan so it will pay for your equipment.
Other ways we may use or share your health information
We are allowed or required to share your information in other ways, usually in ways that contribute to the public good. We have to meet many conditions in the law before we can share your information for these purposes.
- Public health and safety, such as preventing disease, helping with product recalls, reporting adverse reactions to devices, reporting suspected abuse or neglect, and preventing or reducing a serious threat to anyone’s health or safety.
- Research, when the law permits it.
- Complying with the law. We will share information about you if state or federal laws require it, including with the Department of Health and Human Services if it wants to see that we are complying with federal privacy law.
- Workers’ compensation, law enforcement, and other government requests, including health oversight agencies for activities authorized by law.
- Lawsuits and legal actions, in response to a court or administrative order, or in response to a subpoena.
- Medical examiners and funeral directors, when an individual dies.
New York law gives extra protection to certain kinds of information, including HIV-related information and mental health and substance use records. We follow those stricter rules where they apply.
Our responsibilities
- We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information.
- We will let you know promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information.
- We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in this notice and give you a copy of it.
- We will not use or share your information other than as described here unless you tell us we can in writing. If you tell us we can, you may change your mind at any time by letting us know in writing.
Changes to the terms of this notice
We can change the terms of this notice, and the changes will apply to all information we have about you. The new notice will be available on request, in our store, and on this website.
Privacy Officer
Wellness Medical Supplies, Attn: Privacy Officer
266 52nd Street, Brooklyn, NY 11220
info@wellness-supplies.com · (347) 227-7700
This notice applies to Wellness Medical Supplies at both of its locations: the Staten Island store and the Brooklyn headquarters.