West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources
Bureau for Medical Services
350 Capitol Street, Room 251
Charleston, West Virginia 25301-3709
(304) 558-1700
Effective date of this notice: 04/14/2003
If you have questions about this notice, please contact Client Services at 1-800-642-8599 or the Privacy Officer at the above address or phone.
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.
PRIVACY AND YOU
Your health information is personal and private. The West Virginia Medicaid Program must keep your health information private. Your doctors, dentists, clinics, labs, and hospitals send information to us when they ask us to approve and pay for your health care. We must give you this Notice of the law of how we keep your health information private.
CHANGES TO NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES
All Medicaid employees, staff, students, volunteers and other personnel whose work is under direct control of Medicaid must obey the rules in this notice. We have the right to change our privacy practices. If we do make changes, we will send a new Notice right away to all people covered by Medicaid. We are required to provide this notice of our privacy practices and legal duties regarding health information to anyone who asks for it.
WHY WE MAY USE OR SHARE YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION:
To view a list of reasons your health information may be used or shared, please click here.
WEST VIRGINIA HEALTH INFORMATION NETWORK'S HEALTH INFORMATION EXCHANGE
The Bureau for Medical Services will participate in a Health Information Exchange (HIE). An HIE is primarily a secure electronic data sharing network. In accordance with federal and state privacy regulations, regional healthcare providers participate in the HIE to exchange patient information in order to facilitate health care, avoid duplication of services, such as tests, and to reduce the likelihood that medical errors will occur.
The HIE allows your health information to be shared among authorized participating healthcare providers, such as health systems, hospitals and physicians for the purposes of treatment payment or healthcare operations purposes. Examples of this health information may include:
General laboratory, pathology, transcribed radiology reports and Electrocardiogram (EKG) images
Results of outpatient diagnostic testing (Gastro internal (GI) testing, cardiac testing, neurological testing, etc.)
Health maintenance documentation/medication
Allergy documentation/immunization profiles
Progress notes/Urgent Care visit progress notes
Consultation notes
Inpatient operative reports
Discharge summary/Emergency Room (ER) visit discharge summary notes
All participating providers who provide services to you will have the ability to access your information. Providers that do not provide services to you will not have access to your information. Information may be provided to others as necessary for referral, consultation, treatment or the provision of other healthcare services, such as pharmacy or laboratory services. All participating providers have agreed to a set of standards relating to their use and disclosure of the information available to all participating providers through the HIE.
You cannot choose to have only certain providers access your information. Patients who do not want their health information to be accessible through the HIE may choose not to participate or may "opt-out."
To allow your health record to be shared through the West Virginia Health Information Network's (WVHIN) HIE, you do not need to take action. If you do not wish to participate, you must opt-out. Opting out means that your healthcare providers and insurance companies will not be able to access your health record through the WVHIN's HIE. You have several options for opting out of the WVHIN's HIE. You may visit WVHIN website at www.wvhin.org or contact us at 1-844-468-5755.
WRITTEN PERMISSION
Medicaid may use or share your information in limited ways. If we want to use your health information in a way not listed above, we must get your permission in writing. If you give permission, you may take it back in writing at any time.
WHAT ARE MY PRIVACY RIGHTS?
IMPORTANT
Medicaid does not have full copies of your medical records. If you want to look at, get a copy of, or change your medical record, please contact your doctor, dentist, clinic or health plan. If you are in a Managed Care plan, that plan may have information about bills paid for you after you joined the plan. Please contact the managed care plan to look at or get a copy of these bills.
HOW DO I ASK ABOUT MY PRIVACY RIGHTS?
If you want to use any of the privacy rights explained in this Notice, please call or write us at:
Client Services
West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources
350 Capitol Street
Charleston, West Virginia 25301-3711
Phone (304) 558-2400 or (800) 642-8589 or Fax (304) 558-4501
HOW DO I COMPLAIN?
If you think your privacy rights have been violated and wish to complain, you may contact:
Privacy Officer
Bureau for Medical Services
350 Capitol Street, Room 251
Charleston, West Virginia 25301-3709
Phone (304) 558-1700 or Fax (304) 558-4397
Privacy Officer
West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources
One Davis Square, Suite 100 East
Charleston, West Virginia 25301
Phone (304) 558-0684 or Fax (304) 558-1130
Secretary of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office for Civil Rights
Attention Regional Manager
150 So. Independence Mall West, Suite 372
Philadelphia, PA 19106-3499
NO RETALIATION
Medicaid cannot take away your health care benefits or retaliate in any way if you file a complaint or use any of the privacy rights in this Notice.
QUESTIONS
If you have questions about this notice and want more information, please contact the Privacy Officer at the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, Bureau for Medical Services by phone (304) 558-1700 or by fax at (304) 558-4397.
Copies of this notice are available at local county offices of the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources. This notice is available by e-mail. Contact the Bureau for Medical Services at the above location.