The ReDCo Group provides a broad range of health care services. If you receive services from the ReDCo Group, the ReDCo Group may use your protected health information and disclose it to ReDCo Group staff, business associates, and third party payors, to:

1. Plan and provide your care and treatment.

2. Communicate with health care professionals that care for you.

3. Describe the care you receive.

4. Obtain reimbursement from private insurers and governmental programs.

5. Conduct quality assurance and improvement activities to improve the care you receive.

6. Conduct general business management activities.

7. Obtain certification and/or licensure as an eligible service provider.

8. Verify that you are eligible for the benefits you reported to us.

9. Provide you with appointment reminders.

10. Provide you with information about treatment alternatives or other health related benefits and services that may be of interest to you.

The ReDCo Group will not use or disclose your protected health information except as described in this notice, or otherwise authorized by law.

You have the right to:

1. Request a restriction on certain uses and disclosures of your protected health information.

A. Requests for a restriction on uses and disclosures should be made to the ReDCo Group providing services to you.

B. The ReDCo Group is not obligated to honor your request for restrictions to uses or disclosures, but once we have agreed to do so, we must abide by these restrictions, except when you are in need of emergency medical treatment and the restricted protected health information is needed to provide the emergency medical treatment. The ReDCo Group will request that any restricted protected health information disclosed for emergency medical treatment not be further used or disclosed by the health care provider providing the emergency care.

C. Any restrictions agreed upon will be documented in your medical record.

D. Any restrictions agreed upon are not effective to prevent uses or disclosures permitted by your subsequent authorization to you or for the purpose of compiling information in anticipation of, or for use in, a civil, criminal, or administrative action or proceeding.

E. Any restrictions can be terminated once you agree to or request termination in writing or your verbal agreement to this termination is documented and witnessed by two individuals.

2. Receive confidential communication of protected health information.

A. The ReDCo Group requires that you supply an address for the purposes of billinG. You have the right to select any valid address of your choice for this purposE. Some programs managed by the ReDCo Group may require a telephone contact number. You have the right to direct this communication to a telephone number of your choice.

3. Obtain a paper copy of this notice upon request.

A. You will be provided with a copy of this request upon orientation to services.

B. Individuals accessing this privacy notice electronically can request a paper copy through the contact information outlined in this notice.

4. Inspect and copy your health information.

A. You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your protected health information maintained by the facility with limited exceptions.

B. All requests for inspection or copies of records should be made in writing to the facility/program from which you received services or the ReDCo Group Privacy Officer listed in this Privacy Notice.

C. The ReDCo Group will act on this request within 30 days from the date the request is received.

1) If your request is granted, you will be informed of this and provided access to your records within this time frame.

2) If your request is denied, in whole or in part, the denial will be presented to you in writing and you will have an opportunity to have this denial reviewed.

D. The ReDCo Group may deny access without providing you an opportunity for review in certain circumstances.

E. The ReDCo Group can deny individual access in the following circumstances:

1) A licensed health care provider has determined that the access requested is reasonably likely to cause substantial harm to the individual or another person.

2) The protected health information makes reference to another person that is not a health care provider, and a licensed health care provider has determined that the provision of access to such personal representative is reasonably likely to cause substantial harm to the individual or another person.

3) The request for access is made by your personal representative and a licensed health care professional has determined that the provision of access to such personal representative is likely to cause substantial harm to the individual or another person.

F. You have the right to have denials made under this section reviewed by a licensed health care professional who is designated by the ReDCo Group to act as the review officer and who did not participate in the original decision of denial.

G. The ReDCo Group will provide you with access to the protected health information in the format you have requested, if it is reasonable.

H. The ReDCo Group may provide you with a summary of the protected health information requested in lieu of providing access to the protected health information or may provide an explanation of the protected health information to which access has been provided, if:

1) You agree to a summary or explanation, and

2) You agree in advance to the fees imposed, if any, for a summary or explanation.

I. If you are requesting copies or agree to a summary or explanation of your protected health information, the ReDCo Group will charge you a cost-based fee.

5. Request amendments to your protected health information.

A. You have the right to request the ReDCo Group amend protected health information or a record about you for as long as the information is maintained by the facility.

B. Your request for amendment can be denied if it is determined that the protected health information or record that is the subject of the request:

1) Was not created by the ReDCo Group, unless you provide a reasonable basis to believe that the originator of the protected health information is no longer available to act on the requested amendment.

2) Is not part of the designated record set.

3) Is not accessible to you under this act.

4) Is accurate and complete.

C. Your request for amendment must be made in writing to the ReDCo Group Privacy Officer listed in this Privacy Notice.

D. Your request for amendment will be acted upon within 60 days of the request.

E. The request must include a reason to support your request.

1) If your request is agreed upon, the amendment will be made within 60 days of your request.

2) If your request is denied, you will receive a written notification of this denial.

a) You will be allowed to submit a written statement disagreeing with the denial of all or part of a requested amendment and the basis for such disagreement.

b) A written rebuttal to your statement or disagreement can be made by the ReDCo Group. If this occurs, a copy of the rebuttal will be made available to you.

6. Receive an accounting of disclosures of protected health information.

A. You have the right to an accounting of all disclosures made in the six years prior to the date of your request.

B. The accounting provided to you will be in writing and will include, for each disclosure: the date of the disclosure, the name or the identity of the person receiving the information with the address of the recipient, a brief description of the information disclosed, a brief statement regarding the purpose of the disclosure, or a copy of your written consent or request for disclosure.

C. Your request for an accounting will be honored within 60 days of its receipt.

The ReDCo Group Behavioral Health Services and Intermediate Care Facilities have a duty to:

1. Maintain the privacy of your protected health information.

2. Provide you with a notice regarding our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to protected health information that we collect and maintain about you.

3. Abide by the terms of this notice.

4. Notify you if we are unable to agree to a requested restriction.

5. Accommodate reasonable requests you may have to communicate health information by alternative means or at an alternative address.

6. Provide an accounting of disclosures of your protected health information.

The ReDCo Group may change its privacy practices and introduce new privacy practices effective for all protected health information we maintain. Should our privacy practices change, the revised notice will be posted at the facility by the effective date of the change.

If you have questions and would like additional information, you may contact the ReDCo Group Privacy Officer by phone at (570) 628-5215, ext. 3335, or by mail at:

Privacy Officer
The ReDCo Group
210 South Centre Street
Pottsville, PA 17901

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you can file a complaint with the Privacy Officer at the above address. Also, complaints may be directed to the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. There will be no retaliation for filing a complaint.

1. The ReDCo Group will use your health information for treatment.

For Example: The therapist, nurse, physician, or other health care team member providing services to you will meet and discuss the best course of treatment for you.

For Example: Information obtained by a therapist, nurse, physician, or other members of your health care team will be recorded in your medical record.

2. The ReDCo Group will use your health information for payment.

For Example: A bill may be sent to you or any private or public source of health coverage you have identifieD. The information on or accompanying the bill will include information that identifies you, as well as your diagnosis, procedure performed, and may include a portion of your medical record supporting the necessity of the services.

3. The ReDCo Group will use your health information for regular health operations.

For Example: A member of a quality assurance team may use your medical record to assess the care and outcomes in your case as well as other individuals treated at the facility. This information will be used in our efforts to continuously improve the quality and effectiveness of care.

As required by law, we may also use and disclose health information for the following types of entities, including but not limited to:

The ReDCo Group Privacy Officer is Virginia Schenk.