Our Commitment to Your Privacy

U & I Home Healthcare respects the privacy of your health information. We are required by federal law (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act — HIPAA) to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information (PHI) and to give you this Notice explaining our legal duties and privacy practices.

We are required to:

• Protect the privacy of your PHI.
• Notify you if a breach occurs that may compromise your information.
• Provide you a copy of this Notice and follow it as long as it is in effect.

How We May Use and Disclose Your Health Information

We may use or share your health information for the following purposes:

Treatment

We may use or share PHI to coordinate your care, such as communicating with doctors, caregivers, pharmacies, or other health professionals involved in your services.

Payment

We may use or share PHI to bill and collect payment for care services. This includes submitting information to insurance companies, Medicaid, or other payors.

Healthcare Operations

We may use PHI for internal operations such as staff training, quality assurance, licensing, audits, or program evaluation.

Other Permitted Uses and Disclosures

• When required by law or court order.
• For public health and safety purposes (disease prevention, abuse reporting, FDA recalls, etc.).
• For workers’ compensation or health oversight activities.
• To comply with law enforcement or national security requirements.
• With your written authorization for all other uses not covered in this Notice.

Your Rights Regarding Health Information

You have the following rights regarding your PHI:

• Right to Access: You may request copies of your medical or billing records.
• Right to Amend: You may request corrections to information you believe is inaccurate.
• Right to an Accounting: You may request a list of disclosures made for purposes other than treatment, payment, or operations.
• Right to Request Restrictions: You may ask us not to share information with certain people or organizations. We will honor reasonable requests when possible.
• Right to Confidential Communications: You may request that we contact you at an alternate address or phone number.
• Right to Paper or Electronic Copy: You may request this Notice in printed or digital form at any time.

Uses and Disclosures Requiring Authorization

We will not use or disclose your PHI for marketing, sale of information, or non-care-related communications without your written authorization. If you authorize such uses, you may revoke your consent at any time in writing.

Our Responsibilities

• We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your PHI.
• We will notify you promptly if a breach occurs that may compromise your information.
• We will not use or share your information other than as described in this Notice unless you give us written permission.
• We will honor your rights as outlined under HIPAA and applicable Michigan privacy laws.

Electronic Communication & Text Messaging

We may use text messaging or email for appointment reminders, care coordination, or other administrative purposes. By providing your mobile number, you consent to receive such messages. Message frequency varies; message and data rates may apply. You may opt out by replying STOP or contacting us directly. Sensitive medical details will not be shared via text unless you authorize it in writing.

Changes to This Notice

We may revise this Notice at any time. The updated version will be posted on our website and available at our office. The “Effective Date” at the top of this page will show the latest revision date.

Contact Information

If you have questions about this Notice or wish to exercise your privacy rights, contact:

Filing a Complaint

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with U & I Home Healthcare’s Privacy Officer or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). We will not retaliate for filing a complaint.