Notice of Privacy Practices

HELP UNLIMITED and HELP UNLIMITED HOMECARE

Date Privacy Notice Published/Printed: March 14, 2003 Effective Date of Privacy Notice: April 14, 2003

WHAT IS HIPAA?
HIPPA is the acronym for the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. These new federal rules govern your privacy and the security of your personal medical information. With the increasing reliance upon computers in the health care industry, it became necessary to create privacy standards to help keep health claims and other transactions secure and confidential while being processed.

Under HIPAA, you will have more control over your personal medical records and how this information is released and used. All health plans, billing services, healthcare providers, and other health entities are now required to establish procedures to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of your health information.

Help Unlimited and Help Unlimited HomeCare recognize and value the importance of protecting and respecting the privacy of our patients.

HIPAA'S KEY OBJECTIVES:

• Protect your confidential health information.
• Make processing health claims and other transactions easier and less costly.
• Create consistent national security standards for protecting the rights of patients and consumers.

OUR PLEDGE TO YOU.
At Help Unlimited and Help Unlimited HomeCare, we've always believed that protecting the confidentiality of our patient's personal health information is of utmost importance. In fact, we never have, nor will we ever, use/ disclose any of your personal information without your expressed consent. Your personal information is used as the law permits to provide your treatment, payment of services and to improve the quality of your care. The new HIPAA regulations are designed to help us further protect your privacy. We will not disclose your personal health information inappropriately.

We take these new standards seriously and want to ensure you are fully aware of them. That's why we offer all of our patients a detailed copy of Help Unlimited and Help Unlimited HomeCare's Notice of Privacy Practices. If you would like a copy please ask for one from your health care provider.

QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, COMPLAINTS:
If you have any questions, concerns or complaints about HIPAA, or how we handle your Protected Health Information, including if you believe in good faith that we might have violated your privacy rights under the HIPAA Privacy Rules; please contact our privacy officer.

Help Unlimited/Help Unlimited HomeCare Privacy Officer:
Jack Bertsch, Administrator.
Phone number 1-888-629-9009 (toll free) or 1-805-289-9999
Fax number 1-805-289-3475.