HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices
Notice of Privacy Practices
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.
Effective Date: March 2026
Our Commitment to Your Privacy
Home Care Networks, LLC ("Home Care Networks," "we," "us," or "our") is a home care agency licensed by the Rhode Island Department of Health (License No. HCP02473) and accredited by CHAP (Community Health Accreditation Partner). We are committed to protecting the privacy of your health information and are required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and its implementing regulations to maintain the privacy of your protected health information (PHI), to provide you with this Notice of Privacy Practices, and to follow the terms of the notice currently in effect.
What Is Protected Health Information (PHI)?
Protected Health Information (PHI) is information about you, including demographic data, that relates to:
- Your past, present, or future physical or mental health or condition
- The provision of health care services to you
- Your past, present, or future payment for health care services
PHI includes information we create, receive, maintain, or transmit in any form — written, electronic, or oral.
How We May Use and Disclose Your Health Information
The following describes the ways we may use and disclose your PHI. Not every use or disclosure will be listed, but all of the ways we are permitted to use and disclose your information fall within one of the categories below.
For Treatment
We may use your PHI to provide, coordinate, and manage your health care and related services. For example, we may share information with your physician, physical therapist, or other health care providers involved in your care to ensure continuity of services.
For Payment
We may use and disclose your PHI to obtain payment for the services we provide. For example, we may submit billing information to Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, or long-term care insurance carriers, or contact your family regarding payment arrangements.
For Health Care Operations
We may use and disclose your PHI to support the day-to-day operations of our agency. This includes quality assessment and improvement activities, caregiver training and supervision, compliance reviews, and business management activities.
As Required by Law
We will disclose your PHI when required to do so by federal, state, or local law, including disclosures required by the Rhode Island Department of Health or other regulatory authorities.
For Public Health Activities
We may disclose your PHI for public health activities authorized by law, such as reporting communicable diseases to public health authorities, reporting abuse or neglect to appropriate agencies, or reporting adverse events related to medications or medical devices.
To Report Abuse, Neglect, or Domestic Violence
We may disclose your PHI to appropriate government authorities if we believe you have been the victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence, to the extent permitted or required by law.
For Health Oversight Activities
We may disclose your PHI to health oversight agencies for activities authorized by law, such as audits, investigations, inspections, or licensure matters conducted by the Rhode Island Department of Health or federal agencies such as CMS.
For Judicial and Administrative Proceedings
We may disclose your PHI in response to a court or administrative order, subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process, subject to applicable legal protections.
For Law Enforcement
We may disclose limited PHI to law enforcement officials in specific circumstances, such as to identify or locate a missing person or in response to a lawful law enforcement request.
To Avert a Serious Threat to Health or Safety
We may use or disclose your PHI when necessary to prevent a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of you or another person, consistent with applicable law.
For Specialized Government Functions
We may disclose your PHI as authorized or required for military and veterans' activities, national security and intelligence activities, or to correctional institutions if applicable.
For Workers' Compensation
We may disclose your PHI as authorized by and to the extent necessary to comply with Rhode Island workers' compensation laws.
Uses and Disclosures That Require Your Authorization
The following uses and disclosures require your written authorization before we can share your PHI:
- Most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes
- Uses and disclosures for marketing purposes
- Sale of your PHI
- Any other uses or disclosures not described in this notice
You may revoke your authorization in writing at any time. Your revocation will not affect uses or disclosures already made in reliance on your prior authorization.
Uses and Disclosures That Require You to Have an Opportunity to Object
To Family Members and Others Involved in Your Care
Unless you object, we may share relevant PHI with family members, close friends, or others who are involved in your care or who help pay for your care. We may also notify your family or personal representative about your location, general condition, or death. If you are present and have the capacity to make decisions, we will give you the opportunity to object before making such disclosures.
Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information
You have the following rights regarding the PHI we maintain about you:
Right to Inspect and Copy
You have the right to inspect and receive a copy of your PHI that we use to make decisions about your care. To request access, submit a written request to our Privacy Officer. We may charge a reasonable cost-based fee for copies.
Right to Request Amendments
If you believe your PHI is incorrect or incomplete, you may request that we amend it. We will consider your request and respond in writing within 60 days. We may deny your request under certain circumstances and will explain the basis for any denial in writing.
Right to an Accounting of Disclosures
You have the right to request a list of certain disclosures we have made of your PHI over the past six years. This right does not apply to disclosures made for treatment, payment, or health care operations.
Right to Request Restrictions
You may request that we restrict certain uses or disclosures of your PHI. We are not required to agree to all restrictions, but we will consider your request. If we agree to a restriction, we will honor it unless it is needed to provide emergency treatment.
Important: You have the absolute right to restrict disclosure of your PHI to a health plan if the disclosure is for payment or health care operations purposes and the PHI pertains solely to a service for which you or someone on your behalf paid out-of-pocket in full.
Right to Request Confidential Communications
You may request that we communicate with you about your PHI in a specific way or at a specific location (for example, by mail only or only at a certain phone number). We will accommodate reasonable requests.
Right to Receive a Paper Copy of This Notice
You have the right to receive a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive it electronically. Contact our Privacy Officer to request a printed copy.
Right to Be Notified of a Breach
You have the right to be notified in the event of a breach of unsecured PHI that may have compromised your information, in accordance with HIPAA Breach Notification Rules.
How to Exercise Your Rights
To exercise any of the rights described above, please submit a written request to our Privacy Officer:
Privacy Officer Home Care Networks, LLC 1020 Park Avenue, Suite 213 Cranston, RI 02910 Email: admin@homecarenetworksri.com Phone: (401) 351-5358
We will respond to your request in writing within the timeframe required by law.
Our Duties
Home Care Networks is required to:
- Maintain the privacy of your PHI as required by law
- Provide you with this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices
- Abide by the terms of the Notice currently in effect
- Notify you in the event of a breach of your unsecured PHI
We reserve the right to change our privacy practices and this Notice. If we make material changes, we will provide you with a revised Notice at the start of your next service period or upon request. Updated notices will be posted on our website.
Complaints
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with:
Home Care Networks Privacy Officer admin@homecarenetworksri.com | (401) 351-5358
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services — Office for Civil Rights 200 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20201 Toll-Free: 1-877-696-6775 Website: hhs.gov/ocr
You will not be penalized or retaliated against for filing a complaint.
Effective Date and Changes to This Notice
This Notice is effective as of March 2026. We reserve the right to change this Notice and to make the revised Notice effective for PHI we already hold, as well as any information we receive in the future. The current version of this Notice will always be available on our website and upon request from our Privacy Officer.
This Notice of Privacy Practices is provided as required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), 45 CFR § 164.520. Home Care Networks recommends annual review of this notice with a qualified HIPAA compliance attorney or consultant.