Privacy Policy

Important Information About Health Information

My Home Cares provides healthcare and home-care services and may create, receive, maintain, or transmit Protected Health Information (“PHI”) subject to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”) and other applicable healthcare privacy laws.

When information is PHI, our use and disclosure of that information is governed by our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices and applicable law.

If there is a conflict between this Privacy Policy and our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices concerning PHI, the HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices will control.

1. Information We Collect

The information we collect depends upon how you interact with My Home Cares.

2. How We Use Information

We may use personal information to:

• Respond to inquiries;
• Provide information about our services;
• Process requests for services;
• Process referrals;
• Determine whether services may be available;
• Facilitate client intake;
• Communicate with prospective clients, clients, authorized representatives, family members, and other authorized individuals;
• Coordinate administrative aspects of services;
• Process employment applications;
• Recruit and communicate with prospective employees;
• Maintain business records;
• Operate and improve our website;
• Analyze website performance;
• Troubleshoot technical problems;
• Protect our systems and website;
• Prevent fraud and misuse;
• Maintain legal, licensing, regulatory, and contractual compliance;
• Establish, exercise, or defend legal rights; and
• Protect the health, safety, rights, or property of My Home Cares, our clients, employees, website visitors, or others.

PHI is used and disclosed only as permitted by applicable healthcare privacy laws and our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices.

3. How We May Disclose Information

My Home Cares does not sell PHI.

We may disclose personal information when necessary to provide our services, operate our organization, comply with law, or protect legitimate interests. Depending on the circumstances, information may be disclosed to:

• Healthcare professionals;
• Authorized caregivers;
• Authorized family members or representatives;
• Case managers;
• Support planners;
• Healthcare payers;
• Government healthcare programs;
• Insurance companies;
• Professional advisers;
• Technology providers;
• Website hosting providers;
• Communications providers;
• Security providers;
• Document-management providers;
• Other contractors and service providers;
• Regulatory authorities;
• Government agencies; or
• Law enforcement when permitted or required by law.

When a third-party service provider creates, receives, maintains, or transmits PHI on behalf of My Home Cares and HIPAA requires it, we require appropriate safeguards, including a Business Associate Agreement when applicable.

4. Cookies and Similar Technologies

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Enable website functionality;
• Remember website preferences;
• Maintain website security;
• Understand website usage;
• Diagnose technical issues; and
• Improve website performance.

Your browser may allow you to block, delete, or limit cookies. Disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality. My Home Cares does not intend to disclose PHI through website analytics, tracking, or advertising technologies except where permitted by law and appropriate safeguards are in place.

5. Website Analytics and Third-Party Technology

We may use technology providers to help operate, secure, maintain, and understand use of our website.

Depending upon how our website is configured, these providers may receive technical information such as IP addresses, browser information, device information, or website interactions.

We evaluate our use of technology in light of applicable privacy and security requirements. Pages or systems designed to collect or display PHI should not use tracking technologies in a manner that impermissibly discloses PHI.

6. Contact and Service-Request Forms

Information submitted through our website may be used to respond to your inquiry or evaluate a request for services.

Submitting an inquiry does not by itself:

• Establish a provider-client relationship;
• Guarantee acceptance as a client;
• Guarantee caregiver availability;
• Guarantee Medicaid or insurance authorization;
• Guarantee eligibility for a healthcare program; or
• Establish a specific service start date.

Please do not submit unnecessary sensitive medical information through a general website contact form. When we provide a designated secure method for submitting healthcare information, please use that method.

7. Email, Telephone, and Text Communications

If you provide us with an email address or telephone number, we may use it to respond to your inquiry and communicate with you regarding our services, appointments, administrative matters, or other appropriate purposes.

Standard message and data rates may apply to text messages. You are not required to provide consent to receive marketing text messages as a condition of receiving healthcare services.

You may request that we use an alternative reasonable method of communication when applicable.

Email and ordinary SMS text messages may not always be secure. Please avoid sending sensitive health information through unsecured communications unless specifically instructed to do so.

8. Employment Applicants

If you apply for employment with My Home Cares, we may collect information necessary to evaluate your application, including:

• Contact information;
• Employment history;
• Education;
• Professional licenses;
• Certifications;
• Qualifications;
• References; and
• Other application-related information.

Additional information may be collected during the hiring process as permitted or required by law. Applicant and employee information is handled separately from client PHI unless otherwise required by applicable law.

9. Children and Minors

My Home Cares may provide services to minors when authorized and appropriate.

Information concerning a minor receiving healthcare services is handled according to applicable federal and Maryland healthcare privacy laws.

Our public website is not intended to knowingly solicit personal information directly from children without appropriate authorization.

10. Data Security

My Home Cares uses administrative, physical, and technical safeguards designed to protect information against unauthorized:

• Access;
• Use;
• Disclosure;
• Alteration;
• Loss; or
• Destruction.

Our safeguards may include access controls, authentication, security monitoring, staff policies, training, and other reasonable security measures. However, no website, electronic communication, network, or information-storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

11. Data Retention

We retain information for as long as reasonably necessary to:

• Provide services;
• Maintain appropriate records;
• Meet healthcare documentation requirements;
• Meet legal and regulatory obligations;
• Resolve disputes;
• Enforce agreements; and
• Protect legitimate business interests.

Medical records and PHI may be subject to specific federal or Maryland retention requirements.

12. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to websites or online services operated by third parties.

My Home Cares does not control the privacy, security, content, or practices of independent third-party websites.

We encourage you to review the privacy policies of third-party services before providing information to them.

13. Your Privacy Rights

Your rights depend on the type of information involved and applicable law.

If your information constitutes PHI, you may have rights including the right to:

• Access certain health records;
• Request corrections;
• Request confidential communications;
• Request certain restrictions;
• Receive an accounting of certain disclosures;
• Obtain a copy of our Notice of Privacy Practices; and
• File a privacy complaint.

Please review our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices for a complete explanation of your rights concerning PHI.

14. Do Not Use the Website for Medical Emergencies

Our website, contact forms, email, and general online services are not intended for emergency medical communications.

If you believe you or another person is experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or seek immediate emergency medical assistance. Do not rely upon a website message, email, or contact-form submission for emergency assistance.

15. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, technology, services, or legal requirements.

When changes are made, we will update the “Last Updated” date at the beginning of this Policy. Material changes may also be communicated through our website or other appropriate methods.

16. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, contact:

Privacy Officer, My Home Cares, LLC · Phone: 410-671-5754 · Email: support@myhomecares.com

For questions specifically concerning your PHI or HIPAA privacy rights, please review our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices or contact our Privacy Officer.