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Policies

Last Updated: March, 2023

Austin ENT & Allergy Policies

Austin ENT & Allergy Privacy Policy

This privacy policy has been compiled to better serve those who are concerned with how their ‘Personally Identifiable Information’ (PII) is being used online. PII, as described in US privacy law and information security, is information that can be used on its own or with other information to identify, contact or locate a single person, or to identify an individual in context. Please read our privacy policy carefully to get a clear understanding of how we collect, use, protect or otherwise handle your Personally Identifiable Information in accordance with our website.

What personal information do we collect from the people that visit our blog, website or app?
When ordering or registering on our site, as appropriate, you may be asked to enter your name, email address, mailing address, phone number or other details to help you with your experience.

When do we collect information?
We collect information from you when you register on our site, subscribe to a newsletter, fill out a form or enter information on our site.

How do we use your information?
We may use the information we collect from you when you register, make a purchase, sign up for our newsletter, respond to a survey or marketing communication, surf the website, or use certain other site features in the following ways:

  • To send periodic emails regarding your order or other products and services.
  • To follow up with them after correspondence (live chat, email or phone inquiries)

How do we protect your information?
Our website is scanned on a regular basis for security holes and known vulnerabilities in order to make your visit to our site as safe as possible. We use regular Malware Scanning.

Your personal information is contained behind secured networks and is only accessible by a limited number of persons who have special access rights to such systems, and are required to keep the information confidential. In addition, all sensitive/credit information you supply is encrypted via Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology.

We implement a variety of security measures when a user enters, submits or accesses their information to maintain the safety of your personal information.

All transactions are processed through a gateway provider and are not stored or processed on our servers.

Do we use ‘cookies’?
We do not use cookies for tracking purposes.

You can choose to have your computer warn you each time a cookie is being sent, or you can choose to turn off all cookies. You do this through your browser settings. Since each browser is a little different, look at your browser’s Help Menu to learn the correct way to modify your cookies.

If you turn cookies off, some of the features that make your site experience more efficient may not function properly.

Third-party disclosure
We do not sell, trade or otherwise transfer to outside parties your Personally Identifiable Information.

Third-party links
Occasionally, at our discretion, we may include or offer third-party products or services on our website. These third-party sites have separate and independent privacy policies. We therefore have no responsibility or liability for the content and activities of these linked sites. Nonetheless, we seek to protect the integrity of our site and welcome any feedback about these sites.

Google
Google’s advertising requirements can be summed up by Google’s Advertising Principles. They are put in place to provide a positive experience for users. Google Ads policies

We use Google AdSense Advertising on our website.
Google, as a third-party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads on our site. Google’s use of the DART cookie enables it to serve ads to our users based on previous visits to our site and other sites on the Internet. Users may opt-out of the use of the DART cookie by visiting the Google Ad and Content Network privacy policy.

Demographics and Interests Reporting:
We, along with third-party vendors such as Google, use first-party cookies (such as the Google Analytics cookies) and third-party cookies (such as the DoubleClick cookie) or other third-party identifiers together to compile data regarding user interactions with ad impressions and other ad service functions as they relate to our website.

Opting out
Users can set preferences for how Google advertises to you using the Google Ad Settings page. Alternatively, you can opt out by visiting the Network Advertising Initiative Opt Out page or by using the Google Analytics Opt Out Browser add on.

California Online Privacy Protection Act:
CalOPPA is the first state law in the nation to require commercial websites and online services to post a privacy policy. The law’s reach stretches well beyond California to require any person or company in the United States (and conceivably the world) that operates websites collecting Personally Identifiable Information from California consumers to post a conspicuous privacy policy on its website stating exactly the information being collected and those individuals or companies with whom it is being shared. – See more at: https://consumercal.org/about-cfc/cfc-education-foundation/california-online-privacy-protection-act-caloppa-3/#sthash.0FdRbT51.dpuf

According to CalOPPA, we agree to the following:

  • Users can visit our site anonymously.
  • Once this privacy policy is created, we will add a link to it on our home page or as a minimum, on the first significant page after entering our website.
  • Our Privacy Policy link includes the word ‘Privacy’ and can easily be found on the page specified above.
  • You will be notified of any Privacy Policy changes on our Privacy Policy Page
  • You can change your personal information by calling us

How does our site handle Do Not Track signals?
We honor Do Not Track signals and do not track, plant cookies, or use advertising when a Do Not Track (DNT) browser mechanism is in place.

Does our site allow third-party behavioral tracking?
It’s also important to note that we do not allow third-party behavioral tracking.

COPPA (Children Online Privacy Protection Act)
When it comes to the collection of personal information from children under the age of 13 years old, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) puts parents in control. The Federal Trade Commission, United States’ consumer protection agency, enforces the COPPA Rule, which spells out what operators of websites and online services must do to protect children’s privacy and safety online.

We do not specifically market to children under the age of 13 years old.

Fair Information Practices
The Fair Information Practices Principles form the backbone of privacy law in the United States and the concepts they include have played a significant role in the development of data protection laws around the globe. Understanding the Fair Information Practice Principles and how they should be implemented is critical to comply with the various privacy laws that protect personal information.

In order to be in line with Fair Information Practices we will take the following responsive action, should a data breach occur:

  • We will notify you via email within 7 business days
  • We will notify you via letter within 7 business days

We also agree to the Individual Redress Principle which requires that individuals have the right to legally pursue enforceable rights against data collectors and processors who fail to adhere to the law. This principle requires not only that individuals have enforceable rights against data users, but also that individuals have recourse to courts or government agencies to investigate and/or prosecute non-compliance by data processors.

CAN SPAM Act
The CAN-SPAM Act is a law that sets the rules for commercial email, establishes requirements for commercial messages, gives recipients the right to have emails stopped from being sent to them, and spells out tough penalties for violations.

We collect your email address in order to:

  • Send information, respond to inquiries, and/or other requests or questions

To be in accordance with CANSPAM, we agree to the following:

  • Not use false or misleading subjects or email addresses.
  • Identify the message as an advertisement in some reasonable way.
  • Include the physical address of our business or site headquarters.
  • Monitor third-party email marketing services for compliance, if one is used.
  • Honor opt-out/unsubscribe requests quickly.
  • Allow users to unsubscribe by using the link at the bottom of each email.

If at any time you would like to unsubscribe from receiving future emails, you can email us.
Follow the instructions at the bottom of each email and we will promptly remove you from ALL correspondence.

Contacting Us
If there are any questions regarding this privacy policy, you may contact us using the information below.

Austin ENT & Allergy
12201 Renfert Way, Suite 245
Austin, TX 78758
(512) 277-7500

Notice: No Surprises Act

Your Rights and Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills
When you get emergency care or get treated by an out-of-network provider at an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center, you are protected from surprise billing or balance billing.

What is “balance billing” (sometimes called “surprise billing”)?
When you see a doctor or other health care provider, you may owe certain out-of-pocket costs, such as a copayment, coinsurance and/or a deductible. You may have other costs or have to pay the entire bill if you see a provider or visit a healthcare facility that isn’t in your health plan’s network.

“Out-of-network” describes providers and facilities that haven’t signed a contract with your health plan. Out-of-network providers may be permitted to bill you for the difference between what your plan agreed to pay and the full amount charged for a service. This is called “balance billing.” This amount is likely more than in-network costs for the same service and might not count toward your annual out-of-pocket limit.

“Surprise billing” is an unexpected balance bill. This can happen when you can’t control who is involved in your care—like when you have an emergency or when you schedule a visit at an in-network facility but are unexpectedly treated by an out-of-network provider.

You are protected from balance billing for:

Emergency services
If you have an emergency medical condition and get emergency services from an out-of-network provider or facility, the most the provider or facility may bill you is your plan’s in-network cost-sharing amount (such as copayments and coinsurance). You can’t be balance billed for these emergency services.This includes services you may get after you’re in stable condition unless you give written consent and give up your protections not to be balance billed for these post-stabilization services.

Certain services at an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center
When you get services from an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center, certain providers there may be out-of-network. In these cases, the most those providers may bill you is your plan’s in-network cost-sharing amount. This applies to emergency medicine, anesthesia, pathology, radiology, laboratory, neonatology, assistant surgeon, hospitalist or intensivist services. These providers can’t balance bill you and may not ask you to give up your protections not to be balance billed.

If you get other services at these in-network facilities, out-of-network providers can’t balance bill you unless you give written consent and give up your protections.

You’re never required to give up your protections from balance billing. You also aren’t required to get care out-of-network. You can choose a provider or facility in your plan’s network.

When balance billing isn’t allowed, you also have the following protections:
You are only responsible for paying your share of the cost (like the copayments, coinsurance and deductibles that you would pay if the provider or facility was in-network). Your health plan will pay out-of-network providers and facilities directly.

Your health plan generally must:

  • Cover emergency services without requiring you to get approval for services in advance (prior authorization).
  • Cover emergency services by out-of-network providers.
  • Base what you owe the provider or facility (cost-sharing) on what it would pay an in‑network provider or facility and show that amount in your explanation of benefits.
  • Count any amount you pay for emergency services or out-of-network services toward your deductible and out-of-pocket limit.

If you believe you’ve been wrongly billed, you may contact the following:

Federal: Call the No Surprises Help Desk at 1 (800) 985-3059, file a complaint online at www.cms.gov/nosurprises/consumers/complaints-about-medical-billing or start a dispute online at www.cms.gov/nosurprises/consumers/medical-bill-disagreements-if-you-are-uninsured.

Visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises/consumers for more information about your rights under federal law.

Notice Of Non-Discrimination & Communication Assistance

Austin ENT & Allergy complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. Austin ENT & Allergy does not exclude people or treat them differently because of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex.

Austin ENT & Allergy provides free aids and services to people with disabilities to communicate effectively with us, such as:

  • Qualified sign language interpreters
  • Written information in other formats (large print, audio, accessible electronic formats, other formats)

Austin ENT & Allergy provides free language services to people whose primary language is not English, such as:

  • Qualified interpreters
  • Information written in other languages

If you believe that Austin ENT & Allergy has failed to provide these services or discriminated in another way on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability or sex, you can file a grievance with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, electronically through the Office for Civil Rights Complaint Portal, or by mail or phone at:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, SW
Room 509F, HHH Building
Washington, D.C. 20201
1 (800) 368-1019, 1 (800) 537-7697 (TDD)

HIPAA Statement

NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

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.

If you have any questions about this notice, please contact Austin ENT & Allergy Privacy Officer at 512-277-7500.

OUR PLEDGE REGARDING MEDICAL INFORMATION
Austin ENT & Allergy, as required by law, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), pledges to maintain the privacy of your health information and to provide you with a notice of our legal duties and privacy practices.

USES AND DISCLOSURES OF PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION
Your protected health information may be used and disclosed by your physician, our office staff and others outside our office that are involved in your care and treatment for the purpose of providing healthcare services to you, to pay your healthcare bill, to support the operation of Austin ENT & Allergy, and any other use required by law.

Treatment
We will use and disclose your protected health information to provide, coordinate, or manage your healthcare and any related services. This includes the coordination or management of your healthcare with a third party. For example, your protected health information may be provided to a physician whom you have been referred by Austin ENT & Allergy to ensure that the physician has the necessary information to diagnosis and treat you.

Payment
Your protected health information will be used, as needed to obtain payment for your healthcare services. However, we will agree with any request you make regarding the restriction on the disclosure of your PHI to a health plan if the disclosure is for the purpose of payment and you have paid for the item or service out-of-pocket and in full.

Healthcare Operations
We may use or disclose, as-needed, your protected health information in order to support the business activities of Austin ENT & Allergy. These activities include, but are not limited to, quality assessment activities, employee review activities, training of medical students, licensing, and conducting or arranging of other business activities. In addition, we may call you by name in the waiting room when your provider is ready to see you. We may use or disclose your protected health information, as necessary, to contact you to remind you of your appointment. However, we will agree with any request you make regarding the restriction on the disclosure of your PHI for healthcare operations.

We may use or disclose your protected health information in the following situations without your authorization. These situations include: as Required By Law, Public Health issues as required by law, Communicable Diseases, Health Oversight, Abuse or Neglect, Food and Drug Administration requirements, Legal Proceedings, Law Enforcement, Coroners, Funeral Directors, Organ Donation, Research, Criminal Activity, Military Activity, National Security and Workers’ Compensation.

Other Permitted and Required Uses and Disclosures will be made only with your consent, authorization or opportunity to object unless required by law. Scanned and faxed signatures will suffice as the original. Uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes, uses and disclosures of PHI for marketing purposes, and disclosures that constitute a sale of PHI can be made only with your authorization.

YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING YOUR MEDICAL INFORMATION
Right to Inspect and Copy
You have the right to inspect and receive a copy of medical information that may be used to make decisions about your care. This includes medical and billing records, but does not include psychotherapy notes. To inspect or receive a copy of your medical information, you must submit your request in writing to Austin ENT & Allergy. You may be charged reasonable administrative fees.

Right to Amend
If you feel that medical information we have about you is incorrect you may ask to amend the information. You have the right to request an amendment for as long as we keep the information. To request an amendment, your request must be made in writing and submitted to Austin ENT & Allergy. You must provide a reason that supports your request.

We may deny your request for an amendment if it is not in writing or does not include a reason to support the request. In addition, we may deny your request if you ask us to amend information that:

  • Was not created by us, unless the person or entity that created the information is no longer available to make the amendment;
  • Is not part of the medical information kept by Austin ENT & Allergy;
  • Is not part of the information which you would be permitted to inspect and copy; or
  • Is accurate and complete.

Right to an Accounting of Disclosures
You have the right to request an “accounting of disclosures.” This is a list of the disclosures we made for purposes other than treatment, payment, or healthcare operations or pursuant to your authorization. To request this list or accounting of disclosures, you must submit your request in writing to Austin ENT & Allergy. Your request must state a time period that may not be longer than six years. You have the right to be notified when a breach of your unsecured PHI has occurred.

Right to Request Restrictions
You have the right to request a restriction or limitation on the medical information we use or disclose about you. You also have the right to request a limit on the medical information we disclose about you to someone who is involved in your care or the payment for your care, like a family member, friend or other responsible party.

We are not required to agree to your request. If we do agree, we will comply with your request unless the information is needed to provide you emergency treatment. To request restrictions, you must make your request in writing. In your request, you must tell us (1) what information you want to limit; (2) whether you want to limit our use, disclosure or both; and (3) to whom you want the limits to apply, for example, disclosures to your spouse.

Right to Request Confidential Communications
You have the right to request that we communicate with you about medical matters in a certain way or at a certain location. To request confidential communications, you must make your request in writing to Austin ENT & Allergy. We will not ask you the reason for your request. We will accommodate all reasonable requests. Your request must specify how or where you wish to be contacted.

Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice
You have the right to a paper copy of this notice. You may ask us to give you a copy of this notice at any time. Even if you have agreed to receive this notice electronically, you are still entitled to a paper copy of this notice.

Right to Opt Out of Communications
You have the right to opt out of any or all fundraising communications we may send to you regarding products available to you as a patient of Austin ENT & Allergy.

CHANGES TO THIS NOTICE
We reserve the right to change this notice. We reserve the right to make the revised or changed notice effective for medical information we already have about you as well as any information we receive in the future. We will post a copy of the current notice. The notice will contain the effective date. In addition, each time you receive treatment or healthcare services we will make a copy of the current notice available to you.

COMPLAINTS
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with Austin ENT & Allergy or with the Department of Health and Human Services. You Will Not Be Penalized For Filing A Complaint. All complaints must be submitted in writing.

OTHER USES OF MEDICAL INFORMATION
Other uses and disclosures of medical information not covered by this notice or law will be made only with your

written permission. If you provide us permission to use or disclose medical information, you may revoke that permission, in writing, at any time, except to the extent that action has been taken in reliance on your permission. If you revoke your permission, we will no longer use or disclose medical information about you for the reasons covered

by your written authorization. You understand that we are unable to take back any disclosures we have already made with your permission, and that we are required to retain our original records of the care that we provided to you.