It covers the protected health information associated with Aquila Specialty Transport services when Aquila Specialty Services acts as a HIPAA covered healthcare provider. Aquila Enterprises Inc., operating Aquila Medical Services, is a separate affiliated covered entity and maintains separate privacy practices.
About this Notice
Aquila Specialty Services, Inc. (“Aquila,” “we,” or “our”) provides specialized transportation services and performs covered healthcare functions. This Notice explains how we may use and disclose protected health information (“PHI”), our duties, and your rights. When we perform services solely as a business associate of another covered entity, the applicable Business Associate Agreement and that covered entity’s instructions govern our handling of PHI.
Our responsibilities
We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your PHI, provide this Notice, follow the Notice currently in effect, and notify affected individuals following a breach of unsecured PHI as required by law. We will not use or disclose your information other than as described here unless you authorize us in writing or another law permits or requires it. You may revoke an authorization in writing, except to the extent we have already acted in reliance on it.
How we may use and disclose your information
HIPAA permits us to use or disclose PHI without written authorization for the following purposes, subject to applicable safeguards and limitations:
Treatment
We may use or disclose PHI to coordinate transportation, communicate with sending and receiving providers, support continuity of care, confirm readiness and destination acceptance, and assist other professionals involved in your care.
Payment
We may use or disclose PHI to obtain payment, confirm eligibility or coverage, submit claims, respond to payer inquiries, coordinate benefits, and conduct billing or collection activities.
Healthcare operations
We may use or disclose PHI for quality assessment, training, credentialing, incident review, compliance, auditing, legal services, business planning, fraud prevention, performance improvement, and other permitted healthcare operations.
Business associates
We may share PHI with contractors that perform services for us, such as technology, claims, legal, records, or administrative support. Business associates must appropriately safeguard the information.
Individuals involved in your care or payment
Unless you object, or when professional judgment otherwise permits, we may share information relevant to a family member, personal representative, caregiver, or another person involved in your care or payment. We may also disclose information for disaster-relief notification purposes.
Public interest and legal purposes
We may disclose PHI as permitted or required for public health and safety activities; reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence; health oversight; judicial or administrative proceedings; law-enforcement purposes; workers’ compensation; coroners, medical examiners, and funeral directors; organ or tissue donation; certain research; specialized government functions; correctional institutions or lawful custody; prevention of a serious and imminent threat; and other uses required by law.
More protective laws
Some information may receive additional protection under federal or state law. Aquila does not currently operate a federally assisted substance-use-disorder treatment program or maintain records as a Part 2 program. If our activities change, we will revise our practices and this Notice as applicable.
Uses requiring written authorization
Most uses or disclosures of psychotherapy notes, uses for marketing, and disclosures that constitute a sale of PHI require written authorization, unless an exception applies. Other uses and disclosures not described in this Notice will be made only with authorization or as otherwise permitted by law. Aquila does not currently use PHI for fundraising communications.
Your choices
Where applicable, you may tell us your preferences concerning sharing information with family, friends, or others involved in your care; disaster-relief communications; and certain communications from us. If you cannot communicate a preference, we may act according to your best interests and applicable law.
Your rights
Inspect and obtain a copy
You may request to inspect or receive an electronic or paper copy of PHI maintained in a designated record set. We generally respond within 30 days and may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee where permitted. We may deny limited portions of a request as allowed by law and will explain any available review rights.
Request correction
You may ask us to amend PHI you believe is incorrect or incomplete. We may deny the request in certain circumstances, but we will provide a written explanation generally within 60 days.
Request confidential communications
You may ask us to contact you in a particular way or at a particular location. We will accommodate reasonable requests.
Request restrictions
You may ask us not to use or disclose certain information for treatment, payment, or operations. We are generally not required to agree. If you pay for an item or service in full out of pocket and ask us not to disclose information about it to a health plan for payment or healthcare operations, we will honor the request unless disclosure is required by law.
Receive an accounting of disclosures
You may request a list of certain disclosures made during the six years before your request. The accounting will not include every disclosure, including most disclosures for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations. One accounting in a 12-month period is free; a reasonable fee may apply to additional requests.
Receive a paper copy
You may request a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you agreed to receive it electronically.
Choose a representative
A legally authorized personal representative may exercise your rights. We may verify the representative’s identity and authority before acting.
File a complaint without retaliation
You may complain to Aquila or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights if you believe your privacy rights were violated. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
Requests, copies, and amendments
Privacy-rights requests must be submitted by email or mail. Please describe the request, identify the records or service involved, provide contact information, and include enough information for us to verify your identity and authority. Do not send sensitive medical details through ordinary email unless instructed to use an approved secure method.
ATTN: Legal Department
6551 S. Revere Parkway, Suite 275
Centennial, CO 80111
Questions and complaints
Contact the HIPAA Privacy Officer using the information above for questions, privacy requests, or complaints. You may also submit a complaint to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights through its complaint portal or at the contact information published by HHS. Aquila will not retaliate against you for exercising your rights.
Changes to this Notice
We may change this Notice and make the revised Notice effective for PHI we already maintain and information we receive in the future. The current Notice will be available on this website and upon request. A revised Notice will state its effective date.