HIPAA stands for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 and is Federal legislation that was made law by Congress. The law was enacted to implement Federal privacy protections of individually identifiable health information. The HIPAA Privacy Rule, effective April 14, 2003, was created to safeguard the privacy of our residents through increased accountability in the areas of privacy and security through safeguards for the privacy of Protected Health Information (PHI). The HIPAA Security Rule, effective April 20, 2005, is more specific and calls for protection of PHI in electronic formats. Compliance with the HIPAA Privacy Rule is required for certain Starling communities and offices because they transmit resident health information electronically related to health care claims, payment or coordination of benefits. If you have any questions regarding a community and its applicability under the HIPAA Privacy Rule, please contact us at the number below.

This notice describes how your medical information may be used and disclosed and your accessibility to the information. Please review it carefully.

Federal and State laws require us to keep your protected health information private. The laws also require us to provide you with this notice. This notice explains our legal duties and privacy practices regarding protected health information. Starling’s communities must follow the terms of this notice. The effective date of this notice is September 1, 2017.

We use your health information to determine your level of care and appropriateness for admission and continued residency in our communities, as required by Chapter 429, Florida Statutes. We also may use your health information in order to appropriately and effectively meet your needs according to your level of care. In addition, we use the information to tell you about service or treatment alternatives or other health-related benefits and services.

The following are some examples of how we may use your health information:

• To coordinate treatment and services with your health care providers and providers thatare part of our network including but not limited to, home health providers, community medical director, therapy providers and pharmacy providers.
• To generate bills/invoices for services provided to you, which include information that identifies you and the type of care or services you received.
• If applicable, to assist eligibility specialists and case managers representing state and local governments in determining status of qualification for public financial assistance in order to supplement fees for services provided. Making such determinations will require the disclosure of your protected health information to those authorized officials.
• When there is a significant change and a decline in your physical and mental status that you no longer meet criteria for continued residency, we are required by law to notify your physician and your legal representative and or the next of kin that you authorized us to inform, so that you will have access to adequate and appropriate health care in a timely manner.

We may also use and disclose your health information as permitted by law, potentially including disclosures:

• For public health, such as disaster relief; disease control; or to report abuse, neglect or domestic violence and exploitation.
• For health and safety and patient’s rights oversights, such as inspections, investigations and audits.
• To avert a serious threat to health or safety of a person or the public.
• To law enforcement; or in response to court order, subpoena, or other legal process.
• To a law enforcement officer or a correctional institution that has you in custody.
• To the federal government for national security, protective services, military, or veterans activities.
• To conduct research to benefit the Medicaid program (if it’s applicable).
• For workers’ compensation or other similar programs (if it’s applicable).
• To coroners, medical examiners, and funeral directors; and for organ donations.
• To your family or other persons who are involved in your medical care. (You have the right to object to disclosing this information).
• As otherwise required by law.

Other uses or disclosures of your protected health information require your written authorization. If you give us your authorization, you may cancel it by writing to our Chief Operating Officer at the address listed below. If you cannot give your authorization due to an emergency, we may release your health information if it is your best interest.

You have the following rights with respect to your protected health information:

• To see or obtain a copy of your health information that is maintained by us. We may not be able to provide health information that includes Psychotherapy notes, as part of a legal case, or is otherwise excluded from disclosure by law. We may charge a copying fee.
• To request that we amend health information we maintain that is wrong or incomplete.
• To request a list of where we have sent your health information. The list may not include disclosure authorized by you; disclosures for treatment, payment and health care operations; or other disclosures permitted by law.
• To request that we contact you at a different address or phone number, if contacting you about your health information at your present location would endanger you.
• To request that we limit the use and disclosure of your health information.
• To request another copy of this notice.

If you have any questions, please contact us at the telephone number listed below or visit during business hours 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. We may ask you to make the request in writing.

• Chief Operating Officer
• SSL Management LLC
• 9995 Gate Parkway N.
• Suite 320
• Jacksonville, FL 32246
• (904) 301-9100