NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED BY VITRA HEALTH, INC. AND HOW TO ACCESS THIS INFORMATION.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS NOTICE: MARCH 18, 2025
PLEASE REVIEW THIS NOTICE CAREFULLY.
Vitra Health, Inc. (the Agency) is required by law to maintain the privacy of your health information, to provide you with your rights regarding your health information, and to abide by the terms of this Notice of Privacy Practices. We may use and disclose your protected health information (PHI) to carry out treatment, collect payment, perform Agency functions and operations, and other purposes permitted or required by law. PHI is information that may identify you and relate to your past, present, or future physical or mental health or condition and related health care services.
CHANGES TO THIS NOTICE
The Agency may change the terms of this Notice at any time. We reserve the right to make the revised or changed Notice effective for health information we already have about you and information we receive in the future. If the Notice changes, we will post a copy of the current Notice on our website.
HOW WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE INFORMATION ABOUT YOU
The following categories describe how we may use or disclose your health information. Unless otherwise noted, each use and disclosure may be made without your permission. For other purposes, we will request your written authorization, which you may grant or reject. If granted, you can revoke the authorization at any time by letting us know in writing.
Treatment
PHI may be used to provide and coordinate care within Vitra Health Inc. and with other professionals who are treating you such as your primary care physician.
Payment
PHI may be used to bill and collect payment from your insurance company or MassHealth. We may need to disclose health information to obtain prior approval for your foster care services.
Health Care Operations
PHI may be used and disclosed for Vitra Health Inc. to carry out day-to-day operations to provide you with quality care, to evaluate the care we provide, and to comply with our policies and procedures. For example, we may use PHI to remind you of an upcoming home visit, recommend treatment options, conduct performance evaluations, train and educate staff for accreditation, certification, licensing, or credentialing activities, and business planning and development within Vitra Health Inc.
As Required by Law
- For workers’ compensation claims
- For law enforcement purposes or with a law enforcement official
- With health oversight agencies for activities authorized by law
- For special government functions such as military, national security, and presidential protective services
Legal or Administrative Proceedings
We can share health information about you in response to a court order, administrative order, or subpoena.
Law Enforcement
We may disclose your personal information to law enforcement officials if we receive a court order, warrant, grand jury subpoena, or inquiry to identify or locate a suspect, fugitive, material witness, or missing person. We may also disclose your personal information in relation to a death we believe may be the result of a crime. If you are an inmate, we may disclose your personal information to correctional institutions as allowed by law.
Coroners, Health Examiners and Funeral Directors
We can share your information with coroners, health examiners, and funeral directors as necessary to enable them to carry out their duties.
Health and Safety
We may disclose your personal information to prevent a serious public health or safety threat.
Public Health
We can share health information about you for certain situations, such as:
- Preventing disease
- Helping with product recalls
- Reporting adverse reactions to medications
- Reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence
- Preventing or reducing a serious threat to anyone’s health or safety
Research
We can share your personal information as part of a limited data set for research, public health, or healthcare operations.
Military and National Security
Under certain circumstances, we may disclose to military authorities the personal information of armed forces personnel. We may also disclose to authorized federal official personnel information required for lawful intelligence, counterintelligence, and other national security activities.
Business Associates
We can disclose your personal information to a business associate. A business associate is an individual or entity not employed by us that performs healthcare operations or payment activities on our behalf, which require the business associate to create, receive, maintain, or transmit your personal information. We have contracts with our business associates to require them to maintain the confidentiality of your personal information.
Fundraising Activities
We may use your health information to contact you to raise money. You have the right to opt out of receiving these communications. Please let us know if you do not want us to contact you for such fundraising efforts.
Requests for PHI and Reproductive Health Care
We will not disclose your reproductive health care information for healthcare oversight activities, law enforcement activities, judicial or administrative proceedings, or for the use of coroners and medical examiners without a signed attestation from the requestor that they are not using the information for a prohibited purpose. Prohibited purposes include:
- To conduct a criminal, civil, or administrative investigation into any person for the mere act of obtaining, providing, or facilitating lawful reproductive health care.
- To impose criminal, civil, or administrative liability on any person for the mere act of seeking, obtaining, providing, or facilitating lawful reproductive health care.
- To identify any person for any purpose described in (1) or (2).
USES OF HEALTH INFORMATION REQUIRING AUTHORIZATION
The following uses and disclosures of health information will be made only with written authorization from you:
- Uses and disclosures of health information for marketing or advocacy purposes
- Uses and disclosures that constitute the sale of your protected health information
- Other uses and disclosures of health information not covered by this Notice or the laws that apply to us
If you provide us with written authorization to use or disclose health information about you, you may revoke that permission in writing at any time. If you revoke your authorization, we will no longer use or disclose health information about you for the reasons covered by your written authorization. You understand that we are unable to take back any disclosures that we have already made with your permission and that we are required to retain the records of the care that we provided to you.
YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU
Right to Inspect and Copy
You have certain rights to inspect, copy, and obtain the PHI that is maintained by Vitra Health Inc., including billing records, with the exception of psychotherapy notes. Vitra Health Inc. may charge a reasonable fee for the costs associated with your request. Under certain circumstances, your request may be denied. You have the right to have such a decision reviewed.
Right to Request Restrictions
You have the right to request restrictions on the use or disclosure of your PHI by Vitra Health Inc. when carrying out treatment, collecting payment, or conducting Agency operations. You may restrict how much PHI is disclosed to family members or other persons involved in your care or payment for that care. The request must be made in writing and include the information you want to restrict and to whom the restrictions apply. Vitra Health Inc. is not required to agree with this request. However, we are required to agree to any request by you to restrict disclosures of protected health information to health insurers if you have fully paid for health services pertaining to such disclosures using your own money.
Right to Amend
If you feel that the health information that we have about you is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask us to amend that information. The request must include the reason for the amendment.
We may deny the request if it is not in writing, does not include a reason to support the request, if Vitra Health Inc. did not create the information you want amended or is not a part of the Agency records, or if Vitra Health Inc. believes the information is accurate and complete. You have the right to file a written statement of disagreement.
Right to Accounting of Disclosures
You have a right to receive a list of Vitra Health Inc.’s disclosures of your PHI and for what purpose other than to carry out treatment, collect payment, and conduct Agency health care operations. Disclosures made to you, those made for notification purposes and appointments, and to family members and others involved in your care are excluded.
Requests for an accounting of disclosures are subject to certain limitations: They must be in writing and state a period that is not longer than six years from the date of the request. The first accounting requested within a 12-month period will be provided without charge. Subsequent accounting may be subject to charge. You will be notified of any cost involved.
Right to Receive Confidential Communications
You have the right to receive confidential communications upon request. You may ask Vitra Health Inc. to contact you in a particular manner or at specific locations. For example, you may request to be contacted only in writing, in private, or at a different address or residence. All attempts will be made to comply with your request.
Right to Receive Notice of Breach
We are required to notify you following a breach of unsecured protected health information.
Right to Receive a Paper or Electronic Notice
You have the right to obtain a paper or electronic copy of this Notice at any time, even if you or your legal representative has received this Notice previously. You can also get an electronic copy of the Notice from our website or by email.
To obtain a paper copy or an electronic copy via email, contact the Privacy Officer using the information provided under the “Using Your Rights” section below.
USING YOUR RIGHTS
All requests must be in writing and can be submitted to the Vitra Health, Inc. Privacy Officer using the contact information below:
Privacy Officer
150 Wood Road, Suite 201
Braintree, MA 02184
[email protected]
REPORTING A PROBLEM
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services or the Vitra Health, Inc. Privacy Officer using the contact information above in the “Using Your Rights” section of this Notice.