Our role under HIPAA
Optima Care Billing is a business associate under HIPAA. We create, receive, maintain, and transmit protected health information (PHI) only to perform billing and revenue cycle services on behalf of our clients, who are HIPAA covered entities.
Because our clients are the covered entities, they’re responsible for giving their patients a Notice of Privacy Practices. This statement explains how we protect PHI while we work on their behalf. For background, see the HHS guidance on business associates.
Business Associate Agreements
We sign a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with every client before we access any PHI. The BAA defines how we may use and disclose PHI, the safeguards we maintain, and our obligations if a security incident occurs.
When we work with subcontractors that handle PHI for us, we require them to sign agreements that include the same protections.
Using only what’s needed
We follow the minimum necessary standard. We use and disclose PHI only as needed to perform the services in our agreement, such as coding, submitting claims, posting payments, and following up with payers.
How we safeguard PHI
We maintain administrative, physical, and technical safeguards designed to protect PHI, including:
- Role-based access, so team members only see the information needed for their assigned work.
- Encrypted channels for exchanging files and reports, instead of plain email.
- HIPAA privacy and security training for every team member, completed on a regular schedule.
- Policies for handling, storing, and disposing of information securely.
Security incidents and breach notification
If we discover a breach of unsecured PHI, we notify the affected client without unreasonable delay and within the time required by HIPAA and our BAA, so the client can meet its own notification obligations. We also cooperate with the client’s investigation and take steps to limit harm.
Patient requests
If you’re a patient and want to access, correct, or ask questions about your health information, please contact your healthcare provider directly. Providers are responsible for handling those requests, and we support them as required under our agreements.
Please don’t send health information through our website forms or by regular email.
Questions or concerns
To ask about our HIPAA practices or report a concern, contact our privacy team:
Optima Care Billing
1209 Mountain Road Pl NE, Ste H
Albuquerque, NM 87110
info@optimacarebilling.com
(505) 472-4627