NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

Effective Date: January 1, 2026

 

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.

 

If you have any questions about this notice, please contact, Mitchell Dimmerling, Treasurer, at 740-472-5801, ext. 5515.

 

Who Will Follow the Requirements of This Notice.  You are enrolled on a health benefit plan established and sponsored by a Participating Member of the Jefferson Health Plan.  This notice describes the Jefferson Health Plan Participating Member’s practices and those of its employees (who are responsible for the operation and administration of the Participating Member in the Jefferson Health Plan) and its business associates with regard to the Jefferson Health Plan.  The Jefferson Health Plan, the employees of the Participating Member and the business associates (as described above and referred to as “we” or “us” in this notice) may share medical information with each other for the purposes of treatment, payment, or other operations of the Jefferson Health Plan or the health benefit plan as described in this notice.

 

Privacy of Health Information.  We understand that medical information about you and your health is personal.  This notice will tell you about the ways in which we may use and disclose medical information about you.  We will also describe your rights and certain obligations that we have regarding the use and disclosure of medical information.  We are required by law to:

 

•          Assure the medical information that identifies you is kept private;
•          Give you this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to medical information about you; and
•          Follow the terms of the notice that is currently in effect.

 

Use and Disclosure of Medical Information.  The following describes the different ways that we may use and disclose your medical information.  Generally, private health information may be released without your authorization for the purposes of treatment, payment, or other healthcare operations of the Jefferson Health Plan and/or the health benefit plan.  However, if we disclose your medical information for underwriting purposes, we will not use or disclose your genetic information for this purpose.  Medical information may also be released for the following purposes:

 

• As required by, or to comply with, law.
• For public health services.
• In connection with the investigation of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence.
• To health oversight agencies in connection with health oversight activities.
• For judicial and administrative proceedings.
• For law enforcement purposes.
• To coroners, medical examiners, and funeral directors with respect to decedents.
• For research if a waiver of authorization has been obtained.
• To prevent serious and imminent harm to the health or safety of a person or the public.
• For specialized governmental functions.
• For military and veterans’ activities.
• For national security and intelligence.
• For protective services for the President and others.
• To the Department of the State to make medical suitability determinations.
• To correctional institutions and law enforcement officials regarding an inmate.
• For workers’ compensation if necessary to comply with the laws relating to workers’ compensation and other similar programs.

 

Additional Restrictions on Use and Disclosure. Some federal or state laws may require special privacy protections that restrict the use and disclosure of certain sensitive medical information such as alcohol and substance use disorder information, sexually transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS, mental health, and genetic information. We will follow the more stringent or protective law, where it applies to us.

 

Rights Regarding Medical Information.  You have the following rights regarding medical information that 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 you, including medical and billing records, but does not include psychotherapy notes.  To inspect and copy medical information about you, you must submit your request in writing to the Treasurer, Fiscal Agent or Human Resources Designee.  If you request a copy of this 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, and if you are denied access to medical information, you may request that the denial be reviewed.

 

• 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 Jefferson Health Plan.  To request an amendment, your request must be made in writing and submitted to the Treasurer, Fiscal Agent or Human Resources Designee.  In addition, you must provide a reason that supports your request.  We may deny your request if it is not in writing or properly supported by a reason; or the information was not created by us; is not part of the medical record kept by the Jefferson Health Plan; is not part of the information that you would be permitted to inspect and copy; or is accurate and complete.  If we deny your request, we will provide a basis for the denial.

 

• Right to an Accounting.  You have the right to request an accounting of disclosures.  This is a list of the disclosures we have made of medical information about you.  To request this list, you must submit your request in writing to the Treasurer, Fiscal Agent or Human Resources Designee.  Your request must state a time period that may not be longer than the 6 years prior to the date of your request.  Your request must also indicate in what form you want the list (for example, on paper or electronically).  The first list that you request within a 12-month period will be free.  For additional lists, we may charge you for the cost of providing the list.  We will notify you of the cost involved and you may choose to withdraw or modify your request before any cost is incurred.

 

• If we use or maintain an electronic health record (“EHR") with regard to your medical information, you have the right to receive an accounting of disclosures which includes all disclosures for purposes of payment, healthcare operations or treatment over the past 3 years, in accordance with the laws and regulations currently in effect.  You have the right to access your medical information contained in an EHR and to direct us to send a copy of the EHR to a designated third party.

 

• Right to Request Restrictions.  You have the right to request a restriction or limitation on the medical information that we use or disclose about you for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations.  You also have the right to request a limit on the medical information that we disclose about you to someone who is involved in your care or the payment for your care.  However, we are not required to agree to your request, except as described below.  If we do agree, we will comply with your request unless the information is needed to provide you with emergency treatment.  To request restrictions, you must make a written request to the Treasurer, Fiscal Agent or Human Resources Designee telling us what information you want to limit; whether you want to limit our use, disclosure or both; and to whom you want the limits to apply, for example disclosures to your spouse.  We will also consider your request for restrictions if the disclosure is to a health plan for purposes of carrying out treatment, payment or healthcare operations and the medical information relates solely to treatment or services for which the healthcare provider has been paid out-of-pocket and in full, however, we are not required to agree to this request.

 

• Right to Request Confidential Communications.  You have the right to request that we communicate with you about medical matters is a certain way or at a certain location, for example by mail or only at work.  To request confidential communications, you must make your request in writing to the Treasurer, Fiscal Agent or Human Resources Designee and specify how or where you wish to be contacted.  We will not ask you the reason for your request and will accommodate all reasonable requests.

 

• 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.  You may obtain a copy of this notice by contacting the Treasurer, Fiscal Agent or Human Resources Designee.

 

• Right to Notice of a Data Breach.  We are required to notify you upon an unauthorized disclosure of any unsecured medical information.  The notice must be made within 60 days from when we become aware of the unauthorized disclosure and will include: (a) a brief description of the disclosure, including the date it occurred and the date it was discovered; (b) a description of the types of unsecured medical information disclosed or used during the breach; (c) steps you can take to protect yourself from potential harm; (d) a description of our actions to investigate the disclosure and mitigate any harm now and in the future; and (e) contact procedures (including a toll-free phone number) for affected individuals to find additional information.  We will notify you in writing by first class mail (unless you have opted for electronic communications).  However, if we have insufficient contact information for you, an alternative notice method (posting on a website, broadcast media, etc.) may be used.

 

• Right to Assign a Designee.  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 make sure the person has this authority and can act for you before we take any action.  You have both the right and choice to tell us to share information with your family, close friends, or others involved in your care, or 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.  

 

Changes to This Notice.  We reserve the right to make changes to this notice, and to make the revision or change applicable to medical information we already have about you.  The Participating Member will post a copy of the current notice in each building within the Jefferson Health Plan Participating Member’s jurisdiction.  We will notify you of any revisions or amendments within 60 days of the effective date of the revision or amendment.

 

Complaints.  If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with the Jefferson Health Plan Participating Member.  To file a complaint, please contact Mitchell Dimmerling, Treasurer, Switzerland of Ohio Local School District, Jefferson Health Plan Participating Member, 304 Mill St., Woodsfield, Ohio, at 740-472-5801 ext. 5515.  All complaints must be submitted in writing and must name the entity that is the subject of the complaint and describe any acts or omissions believed to be in violation of this notice.  A complaint must be filed within 180 days of when you knew or should have known of the violation.  You can also file a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 509F, HHH Building, Washington, D.C. 20201-0004, (800) 368-1019 or https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/index.html.  You will not be retaliated against for filing any complaint.

 

Substance Use Disorder Patient Records.  To the extent that we receive any records of the identity, diagnosis, prognosis, or treatment of any individual which are maintained in connection with the performance of any program or activity subject to 42 C.F.R. Part 2 relating to substance use disorder (SUD) education, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, or research, we will only use and disclose such records as authorized under federal law and consistent with this notice.  In this regard, we will not use or disclose SUD records received from a SUD program or provider if requested for a civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceeding against you absent written consent from you or a court order accompanied by a subpoena or other legal requirement compelling disclosure.  Federal law permits disclosure of SUD records without patient consent to public health authorities, provided that the records disclosed are de-identified according to the standards established in the HIPAA Privacy Rule.

 

Other Uses of Medical Information.  Other uses and disclosures of medical information not covered by this notice will be made only with your written permission.  In addition, we cannot make a communication to you about a product or service which encourages you to purchase or use the product or service, or make any use or disclosure of your psychotherapy notes (where appropriate) without your authorization.  If you provide us with 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 reason covered by your written authorization.  However, we will not be able to take back any disclosures that we already made during any period in which your permission was in effect. 

 

In addition, we are prohibited from receiving direct or indirect payments in exchange for your private medical information without your valid authorization.  However, this prohibition does not apply if the purpose of the exchange is for: (a) public health activities; (b) research purposes (if the price charged reflects the cost of preparation and transmittal of the information); (c) your treatment; (d) health care operations related to the merger or consolidation of the Jefferson Health Plan Participating Member; (e) performance of services by a business associate on behalf of the Jefferson Health Plan; (f) providing you with a copy of your private medical information; or (g) other reasons determined to be necessary and appropriate by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

 

 

 

Adopted: January 1, 2026