PRIVACY POLICY
This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard information when you visit our website at medcare.org, call us at (888) 200-0000, or use any of our telehealth services.
As a telehealth support organization serving Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older, we take your privacy seriously and comply with applicable federal and state laws, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) where applicable, and other relevant regulations.
1. Information We Collect
1.1 Personal Information You Provide
We collect information you voluntarily provide when you:
- Contact us by phone, email, or through our website contact form
- Schedule an appointment or request a telehealth consultation
- Register for our services or create an account
- Subscribe to our newsletter
- Complete intake forms or health questionnaires
This information may include:
- Full name, date of birth, and gender
- Contact details (address, phone number, email address)
- Medicare ID / insurance information
- Medical history and health-related information
- Emergency contact information
1.2 Automatically Collected Information
When you visit medcare.org, we may automatically collect:
- IP address and browser type
- Pages visited, time spent on each page, and referring URLs
- Device type and operating system
- Cookies and similar tracking technologies
1.3 Protected Health Information (PHI)
To the extent we collect, use, or disclose Protected Health Information (PHI) as defined under HIPAA, we do so in accordance with our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices, which is available upon request by calling (888) 200-0000 or emailing info@medcare.org.
2. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
- To connect you with Medicare-covered telehealth services and licensed healthcare providers
- To verify your Medicare eligibility and coverage
- To schedule and manage appointments and follow-up care
- To respond to your questions, inquiries, and support requests
- To send appointment reminders, health education content, and newsletters (with your consent)
- To improve our website, services, and patient experience
- To comply with applicable legal and regulatory obligations
- To detect, prevent, and address fraud, security incidents, or technical issues
3. How We Share Your Information
We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:
3.1 Healthcare Providers and Partners
We share relevant health information with U.S.-licensed physicians and telehealth platform partners solely to facilitate your medical care and telehealth consultations.
3.2 Service Providers
We may engage trusted third-party vendors (e.g., appointment scheduling platforms, communication tools, analytics providers) who assist us in operating our website and delivering our services. These vendors are contractually obligated to protect your information and may not use it for any other purpose.
3.3 Legal Requirements
We may disclose your information if required to do so by law, court order, or government regulation, or if we believe in good faith that such disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of Medcare, our users, or the public.
3.4 Business Transfers
In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you via email and/or a prominent notice on our website of any change in ownership or use of your personal information.
4. HIPAA Compliance
Medcare is committed to compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). We implement administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of your Protected Health Information (PHI).
Our staff and partners who handle PHI are trained in HIPAA requirements and are bound by confidentiality obligations. For a complete description of your rights regarding your health information, please refer to our Notice of Privacy Practices, available upon request.
5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your browsing experience, analyze website traffic, and understand how visitors interact with our content. Cookies are small data files stored on your device.
We use the following types of cookies:
- Essential cookies: Required for the website to function properly
- Analytics cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our site (e.g., Google Analytics)
- Preference cookies: Remember your settings and preferences
- Marketing cookies: Used to deliver relevant content (only with your consent)
You can control cookie settings through your browser preferences. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website.
6. Data Security
We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include SSL/TLS encryption for data transmission, secure server infrastructure, access controls and authentication requirements, and regular security assessments.
While we take all reasonable precautions, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We encourage you to protect your account credentials and contact us immediately if you suspect any unauthorized use of your information.
7. Data Retention
We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide our services, comply with legal and regulatory obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. Medical records and health-related information are retained in accordance with applicable state and federal laws governing healthcare record retention.
8. Your Rights and Choices
Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have the following rights:
- Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
- Correction: Request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete information
- Deletion: Request that we delete your personal information, subject to certain exceptions
- Opt-out: Unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time
- Data portability: Request a copy of your data in a portable format
- Restriction: Request that we limit how we use your information
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@medcare.org or call (888) 200-0000. We will respond to your request within 30 days.
9. Children’s Privacy
Our services are designed for adults aged 65 and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under the age of 18. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a minor, please contact us immediately at info@medcare.org and we will take prompt action to delete such information.
10. Third-Party Links
Our website may contain links to third-party websites, including telehealth platforms and social media pages (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, YouTube, TikTok). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites and encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.
11. Telehealth Consent and Communications
By using our telehealth services, you consent to the collection and use of your health information as described in this Privacy Policy and our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices.
When you call us at (888) 200-0000 or use our chat feature, calls and interactions may be recorded for quality assurance, training, and compliance purposes. You will be informed at the beginning of any recorded interaction.
12. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make material changes, we will update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, notify you by email or through a notice on our website. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.
13. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:
Medcare MSO LLC
Email: info@medcare.org
Phone: (888) 200-0000
Website: medcare.org
Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
