Privacy Statements

• Website privacy: The terms and conditions of using this website
• Notice of Privacy Practices: How Neighborhood adheres to the HIPAA privacy regulations

Website privacy

Neighborhood adheres to a strict policy for ensuring the privacy of your personally identifiable information (such as full name, address, e-mail address, telephone number and/or other identifiable information) and preserving the integrity of this online medium.

We will not collect personally identifiable information from you, other than what you supply to us on a voluntary basis. Neighborhood will not willfully disclose your personal information to any third party without first receiving your permission.

Acceptance of Privacy Policy Terms and Conditions

By using this site, you signify your agreement to the terms and conditions of this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to these terms and conditions, please do not use the site. We reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to change, modify, add, or remove portions of this policy at any time. Please check this page periodically for any changes. Your continued use of this site following the posting of any changes to these terms shall mean that you have accepted those changes.

Rules and Regulations

The following rules govern the use by you of www.nhpri.org. The rules set forth herein apply to all materials, online communications and other information that is or becomes available on www.nhpri.org. By signing on and using www.nhpri.org, you agree to abide by these rules and any modifications thereto.

You shall not post, publish, transmit, reproduce, distribute or in any way use or exploit any information for commercial purposes or otherwise use the information in a manner that is inconsistent with these rules and regulations.

The information available on www.nhpri.org may include intellectual property that is protected under the copyright, trademark and other intellectual property laws of the United States and/or other countries. Such intellectual property laws generally prohibit the unauthorized reproduction, distribution or exhibition of all text, photographic and graphic (art and electronic) images, music, sound samplings and other protected materials. The violation of applicable intellectual property laws may give rise to civil and/or criminal penalties.

Disclosure of Online Communications

You are cautioned that any online communications may not be fully confidential. In addition, you should be aware that federal postal regulations do not protect electronic mail. You should be aware that some administrative personnel of Neighborhood may, in the course of their regular duties, have access to communications for technical or operational purposes. Neighborhood may also disclose any communications to the extent permitted or required by law.

Prohibition Against Rogue Programming

You shall not post, transmit or make available in any way through www.nhpri.org any software or other materials that contain a computer virus, Trojan horse, time bomb, worm or other rogue programming . Neighborhood has no obligation to detect the presence of any rogue programming. Any downloading of software or other materials or any other use of the information on www.nhpri.org is at your risk, and you are advised to take adequate precautions to minimize any loss to your system caused by rogue programming, including use of anti-virus programs and proper backup of files.

Disclaimer of Warranties

WWW.NHPRI.ORG IS PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" BASIS WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION WARRANTIES OF TITLE, NONINFRINGEMENT, OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. Neighborhood DOES NOT WARRANT THAT ANY INFORMATION IS COMPLETE OR ACCURATE, THAT WWW.NHPRI.ORG WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR FREE OR THAT ANY INFORMATION IS FREE OF ROGUE PROGRAMMING.

Limitation of Damages

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES, INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE, SHALL Neighborhood BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES THAT MAY RESULT FROM THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE WWW.NHPRI.ORG, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION USE OF OR RELIANCE ON INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON WWW.NHPRI.ORG, INTERRUPTIONS, ERRORS, DEFECTS, MISTAKES, OMISSIONS, DELETIONS OF FILES, DELAYS IN OPERATION OR TRANSMISSION, NONDELIVERY OF INFORMATION, DISCLOSURE OF COMMUNICATIONS, OR ANY OTHER FAILURE OF PERFORMANCE.

Release and Indemnity

YOU HEREBY RELEASE AND WAIVE ANY AND ALL CLAIMS AND/OR LIABILITY AGAINST Neighborhood ARISING FROM OR IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR USE OF WWW.NHPRI.ORG. YOU ALSO AGREE TO DEFEND, INDEMNIFY AND HOLD HARMLESS Neighborhood FROM AND AGAINST, ANY AND ALL CLAIMS OR LIABILITY, INCLUDING COSTS AND ATTORNEYS FEES, ARISING FROM OR IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR USE OF WWW.NHPRI.ORG OR FAILURE TO ABIDE BY APPLICABLE LAW.

Modifications

These rules may be modified by Neighborhood from time to time and such modifications will be binding on you when placed online.

Notice Of Privacy Practices
Effective January 2008*

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.

When does Neighborhood share my health information with others?

We share your health information with others, without your approval to:

• Assist in your treatment, by talking with the doctors involved in your plan of care to decide what’s best for you
• Determine wheter we will pay for the services provided to you, such as deciding if a health care service is medically necessary
• Conduct our health care operations, which include things like quality improvement programs.

When may Neighborhood share my health information with others?

We may also use or disclose your information in the following situations without your consent:

• To public health authorities for the purpose of controlling disease.
• To authorize allowed by law to receive reports of child abuse or neglect.In addition, we may disclose to these authorities if we believe you have been a victim of abuse, neglect or domestic violence.
• To appropriate organizations to assist in disaster relief efforts.
• To health oversight agencies that license health care professionals, and that conduct investigations and inspections of health care professionals.
• To a person who may have been exposed by you to a communicable disease.
• To report adverse reactions to medications, product defects, and other information, if required by the Food and Drug Administration.
• In the course of any legal action, in response to a court order or, sometimes in response to a subpoena, as long as you have been duly notified or attempts to notify you have been made according to law and the subpoena has not been withdrawn.
• To law enforcement authorities, as long as all applicable legal requirements are met.
• To a medical examiner, such as for identification purposes or determining the cause of death.
• To prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a person or the public if we believe that the disclosure is necessary.
• To comply with workers’ compensation laws and other similar programs.
• To you and the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (“Secretary”) to investigate or determine our compliance with the federal privacy regulations.

In an emergency, we may also share your health information without your approval when we are required by law or public health authorities to do so.

Does Neighborhood need my approval before it shares my health information with others?

Except for the purposes listed above and those permitted or required by the government, Neighborhood will not share your information without your written approval. Even when you have given your approval, you can change your mind as long as you do so in writing before we have shared your information.

What are my health information rights?

You have the right to:

• Get a paper copy of this notice if you ask for it
• Ask us to limit the way we share your information, although we are not required to agree to what you ask
• Look at and get a copy of the health information we have about you, as provided by law
• Ask us to change information we have about you in our member file. You must ask us in writing and tell us why you are asking for the change, although we are not required to agree to the change
• Ask us to contact you in an alternative way. For example, you may ask us to contact you at work only
• Take back your approval that we share your information. However, you can only do that if the information hasn’t already been shared.
• Receive an accounting of when we shared your information, except if it was for payment, treatment, or operations, or with your approval.

What are Neighborhood's duties?

Neighborhood uses many methods to protect your oral, written and electronic health informationfrom illegal use or disclosure.We are required by law to:

• Keep your health information private
• Provide you with this notice and follow the rules listed here
• Let you know if we cannot agree to limit how we share your information
• Agree to reasonable requests to contact you by alternative means or at alternative locations
• Get your written approval to share your health information for reasons other than those listed above and permitted by law

Not only do all the physicians and providers in our network know that your information is private and confidential, but Neighborhood’s employees know that too. We use training programs for our employees and policies and procedures supported by management oversight to ensure that our employees know the procedures they need to follow to make sure that your information - whether in oral, written or electronic format - is secure and safeguarded. Additionally, we have other vendors sign Business Associate Agreements that clearly outline their requirement to protect your information and our expectations concerning protecting your oral, written or electronic health information.

Neighborhood reserves the right to change its privacy practices. If our practices change, we will revise this notice and send it to all Neighborhood members. The new practices would apply to all of the health information we have, including the health information we already have about you.

What if I have questions or need help with this?

If you need help understanding this notice or you want to exercise any of your rights stated within this notice, please contact our Customer Service Department at
1-800-459-6019.

What if I think Neighborhood shared my information incorrectly?

You many complain to the Neighborhood Privacy Officer by calling 1-800-963-1001 and asking for the Director of Organizational Development and Human Resources, or by writing to:

Chief Privacy Officer
Attn: Director of Organizational Development and Human Resources
Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island
299 Promenade Street
Providence, Rhode Island 02908

You also have the right to complain, in writing, to the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Please ask us if you need help doing that. Your benefits will not be affected if you make a complaint. Here is the address and phone number:

Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
JFK Federal Building, Room 1875
Boston, MA 02203
1-866-627-7748

*Neighborhood's Notice of Privacy Practices has been in effect since April 2003 and is published annually to remind our members of Neighborhood's privacy practices.