Policies

Under new Federal Regulation, you as a patient have the following rights:

To have your personal health information (PHI) kept confidential, and to only be used for the following:

• Treatment- We will use the health care information we learn about you to provide you with health care service.
  • We have limited the personnel in our office who have access to your PHI.
  • We will share your health information with other health care providers (and others you choose to involve in your care, such as family members) involved in your care.
• Payment- We will use and disclose your PHI for reimbursement for services we render to you and members of your household. In this process, others, such as our business office staff and insurance organizations, may have access to the information you give us.
• Health Care Operations- We will use and disclose your health information to keep our practice operable. Examples of this kind include, but are not limited to:
  • Government oversight activities
  • As required by law- such as by subpoena or other lawful process
  • For appointment reminders
• Treatment alternatives- to seek out treatment alternatives in professional or popular literature
• Research- we will use your PHI to participate in government approved research. If your PHI is to be presented such that individual identification is possible, we will seek your written authorization prior to disclosure upon military command to prevent a serious threat to health or safety
• Worker’s Compensation- If you present with a condition which you are seeking payment under Worker’s Compensation, we will disclose your PHI to your employer and your worker’ compensation insurer as necessary to discharge public health responsibilities- to report deaths, child abuse, neglect, domestic violence, problems with products/medications, recalls, disease/infection exposure, and to prevent/control disease, injury, or disability

Your privacy rights

You have the right to:

• Inspect and copy your health care information, or that of an individual for whom you are the legal guardian
• Request amendment of your health care information, if you feel it is inaccurate or incomplete.
• Receive a list of non-routine disclosures we have made of your PHI
• To request a limit to the health care information we disclose about you
• To request confidential communications (to further restrict the parties who will have access to your information)

Your right to complain:

You have the right to file a complaint with us about our adherence to our privacy practices

POLICY EFFECTIVE DATE: SEPTEMBER 12, 2005

It is the policy of the Colstrip Medical Center to require MINIMUM PAYMENT AT THE TIME OF SERVICE on any account that has been turned over for straight collection.

1. The only exception to this policy will be in the case of an emergency. Emergency is defined as any medical condition for which immediate medical attention is necessary to prevent death or serious impairment of the health of an individual. For practical purposed, emergencies: threaten life, limb or a major sense (such as an eye) or cause severe pain that has just begun. If treatment were delayed until the next regular clinic visit, serious health consequences would result.
2. Insurance will continue to be filed through this office; however, a MINIMUM PAYMENT OF $75 will be due on TIME OF SERVICE.
3. Patients sent for straight collection will NOT be eligible for a sliding fee waiver.
4. When the account is current, the “CASH ONLY” policy will discontinue.
5. The patient will be notified by certified mail regarding the “CASH ONLY” standing.

The Colstrip Medical Center is committed to providing our community with the best possible care.

To help achieve these goals, we need assistance and understanding of our credit policy as set forth here:

1. Payment for a new patient visit to the clinic is due at the time of service unless other arrangements have been made with the credit manager, regardless of insurance coverage. We accept cash, personal checks, Master Card and VISA.
2. Charges for out-of-area patients must be paid in full at the time of the visit. The Colstrip Medical Center will provide the patient with an itemized bill that they may submit to their insurance carrier.
3. The Colstrip Medical Center will submit insurance claims for the patient, with benefits assigned to the Colstrip Medical Center. Submitting insurance is a courtesy we happily extend. Please realize, however, that insurance is a contract between the patient and the insurance company, and that all charges are the responsibility of the patient. Payment of co-payments, deductibles and outstanding balances are expected at the time of service unless special arrangements have been made.
4. When insurance has paid or denied payment on charges the balance becomes the responsibility of the individual patient. Payment from the patient is expected within 30 days.
   • If the account balance is too large for the patient to pay in full we will allow a payment of 20% of the account balance until the balance is paid in full.
   • If there are extenuating circumstances that do not allow the account to be cleared within 5 months special arrangements can be made between the clinic administrator and the patient.