HIPAA Privacy Notice for Medical Billing Services

Tricia E-Billing Solutions, LLC | TE-Billing Solutions®
Effective Date: August 20, 2026

1. Our Role as a HIPAA Business Associate

This Notice explains how Tricia E-Billing Solutions, LLC, doing business as TE-Billing Solutions® (“we,” “our,” or the “Company”), may receive, use, maintain, transmit, or disclose Protected Health Information (“PHI”) while acting as a Business Associate to healthcare providers (“Covered Entities”).

TE-Billing Solutions® provides medical billing, revenue cycle management, administrative support, patient billing support, and related healthcare operations services to healthcare providers, including optometry and ophthalmology practices.

TE-Billing Solutions®:

• Does not provide healthcare services or medical treatment
• Does not diagnose medical conditions
• Does not make medical treatment decisions
• Does not provide medical advice
• Does not independently alter clinical documentation
• Uses and discloses PHI only as permitted by applicable law, HIPAA, and our Business Associate Agreements with healthcare providers Patients generally exercise their formal HIPAA privacy rights through the healthcare provider responsible for their care.

2 . Protected Health Information We Receive and Handle

In performing medical billing and revenue cycle management services on behalf of healthcare providers, TE-Billing Solutions® may receive, access, create, maintain, or transmit PHI.

PHI may be provided to us by:

• Healthcare providers
• Insurance carriers
• Clearinghouses
• Patients
• Parents or legal guardians
• Authorized patient representatives
• Subcontractors or service providers
• Other authorized parties involved in billing, payment, or healthcare operations

Information we may receive or handle includes:

• Patient name
• Address and contact information
• Date of birth
• Healthcare provider or practice information
• Insurance carrier information
• Insurance member or identification information
• Dates of service
• Claim information
• Billing information
• Procedure information
• Diagnosis information when necessary for billing operations
• Explanation of Benefits (“EOB”) information
• Payment information related to the patient account
• Account-balance information
• Updated or corrected insurance information
• Information concerning rejected, denied, pending, or processed claims
• Medical documentation when necessary to perform authorized billing services
• Information voluntarily submitted by a patient or authorized representative through an approved secure patient billing channel
• Other PHI reasonably necessary to perform services assigned by the applicable healthcare provider

TE-Billing Solutions® uses and handles PHI only as necessary to perform authorized billing, payment, healthcare operations, account resolution, and related administrative functions on behalf of our healthcare-provider clients.

Patients should submit PHI only through communication methods specifically designated by TE-Billing Solutions® or the applicable healthcare provider for secure patient billing communications.

3. Secure Patient Billing Inquiries and PHI

TE-Billing Solutions® may provide secure online forms, telephone channels, portals, or other authorized communication methods that allow patients or their authorized representatives to submit billing-related inquiries.Information submitted through an approved patient billing channel may include

PHI necessary to:

• Identify the appropriate patient account
• Locate a billing statement or insurance claim
• Review a patient balance
• Review payment activity
• Update or correct insurance information
• Research claim processing
• Research claim rejections or denials
• Respond to questions about an Explanation of Benefits
• Review payment history
• Resolve billing discrepancies
• Assist with account-resolution questions
• Perform other authorized billing functions on behalf of the applicable healthcare provider

TE-Billing Solutions® uses information submitted through approved patient billing channels only for authorized billing, payment, healthcare operations, account resolution, and related purposes permitted by HIPAA and our Business Associate Agreements.

Patients and authorized representatives should provide only the information reasonably necessary to address the billing inquiry.

Submission of a billing inquiry does not authorize TE-Billing Solutions® to:

• Provide medical advice
• Diagnose a medical condition
• Make treatment decisions
• Change clinical documentation
• Alter a healthcare provider’s diagnosis
• Change coding that is not supported by the healthcare provider’s medical record

Medical questions, symptoms, treatment concerns, clinical questions, and requests for medical advice should be directed to the applicable healthcare provider.

4. How We May Use and Disclose Protected Health Information

TE-Billing Solutions® may use or disclose PHI only as permitted by the applicable healthcare provider, our Business Associate Agreement, HIPAA, and other applicable law.

Treatment-Related Communications

When necessary for billing-related activities, we may communicate with healthcare providers, insurance carriers, or other authorized parties to clarify information associated with healthcare services that have already been rendered.

TE-Billing Solutions® does not provide medical treatment or make treatment decisions.

Payment Activities

We may use or disclose PHI for authorized payment-related activities, including:

• Preparing and submitting claims
• Reviewing insurance information
• Verifying billing-related insurance information
• Following up on claims
• Correcting claim information when authorized
• Resolving claim rejections
• Researching claim denials
• Posting payments and adjustments
• Preparing or supporting patient statements
• Reviewing account balances
• Assisting with billing inquiries
• Assisting with payment inquiries
• Resolving billing discrepancies
• Communicating with insurance carriers regarding claim status or paymentHealthcare Operations

We may use or disclose PHI for healthcare operations and administrative activities permitted under HIPAA, including:

• Audit support
• Compliance activities
• Quality assurance
• Billing review
• Training
• Business administration
• Account reconciliation
• Internal operational functions
• Security and privacy activities
• Other authorized healthcare operations

Required or Permitted by Law

We may disclose PHI when required or permitted by applicable law, including in response to:

• Court orders
• Valid subpoenas
• Other lawful legal process
• Government oversight activities
• HIPAA investigations
• Requests from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• Requests from the Office for Civil Rights
• Law-enforcement requests when legally required or permitted

Subcontractors and Service Providers

TE-Billing Solutions® may use subcontractors and service providers to support authorized operations.

When a subcontractor or service provider creates, receives, maintains, or transmits PHI on behalf of TE-Billing Solutions® and HIPAA requires it, appropriate contractual protections must be in place.

Where required, subcontractors that handle PHI must enter into a HIPAA-compliant Business Associate Agreement and safeguard PHI in accordance with applicable privacy and security requirements.

5. HIPAA Minimum Necessary Standard

TE-Billing Solutions® limits the use, disclosure, and access of PHI to the minimum necessary information reasonably required to perform authorized billing, payment, healthcare operations, administrative, and contractual responsibilities, except where the HIPAA minimum necessary standard does not apply.

Access to PHI is limited based on workforce responsibilities and legitimate business needs.

Workforce members and subcontractors should access only the PHI reasonably necessary to perform their assigned responsibilities.

6. Uses and Disclosures of PHI We Do Not Permit

TE-Billing Solutions® does not use or disclose PHI for purposes prohibited by HIPAA or outside the authority granted by the applicable healthcare provider.

We do not use or disclose PHI for:

• Selling patient information
• Unauthorized marketing
• Unauthorized advertising
• Profiling patients for unrelated commercial purposes
• Unrelated commercial use
• Uses prohibited by our Business Associate Agreements
• Uses prohibited by HIPAA or applicable law

PHI submitted through a secure patient billing inquiry is not used for unrelated advertising or commercial marketing purposes.

7. Patient Rights Regarding Protected Health Information

Because TE-Billing Solutions® acts as a Business Associate to healthcare providers, patients generally exercise their formal HIPAA privacy rights through the applicable healthcare provider, which is the Covered Entity.

TE-Billing Solutions® cooperates with healthcare providers as required to help fulfill applicable patient privacy rights.

Right to Access Records

Patients may have the right to request access to certain health and billing information maintained as part of a Covered Entity’s designated record set.Formal requests should generally be directed to the applicable healthcare provider.

TE-Billing Solutions® will assist the healthcare provider when required by our Business Associate Agreement and applicable law.

Right to Request Corrections

Patients may have the right to request corrections or amendments to information maintained by their healthcare provider.

TE-Billing Solutions® may assist the healthcare provider in investigating or correcting billing-related inaccuracies when appropriate.

Right to Request Restrictions

Patients may have the right to request certain restrictions on the use or disclosure of their PHI.

Such requests should generally be submitted to the applicable healthcare provider.

If a healthcare provider accepts a restriction that applies to TE-Billing Solutions®, we will comply as required.

Right to an Accounting of Certain Disclosures

Patients may have the right to request an accounting of certain disclosures of their PHI in accordance with HIPAA.Requests should generally be directed to the applicable healthcare provider.

Right to Confidential Communications

Patients may have rights concerning how communications about PHI are received.

Requests involving confidential communications should generally be directed to the applicable healthcare provider.

Right to a Copy of This Notice

You may request a copy of this Notice at any time.

TE-Billing Solutions® does not serve as the Covered Entity responsible for administering formal patient HIPAA-rights requests.

We assist Covered Entities as required by our Business Associate Agreements and applicable law.

8. How We Protect PHI and Electronic PHI

TE-Billing Solutions® maintains administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of PHI and electronic Protected Health Information (“ePHI”).

Our safeguards and responsibilities may include:

• Following the terms of our Business Associate Agreements
• Maintaining privacy and security policies and procedures
• Restricting access to PHI based on job responsibilities
• Using appropriate administrative safeguards
• Using appropriate technical safeguards
• Using appropriate physical safeguards
• Maintaining secure systems and approved communication methods
• Applying authentication and access controls
• Providing privacy and security training to applicable workforce members
• Requiring appropriate confidentiality protections
• Requiring HIPAA obligations from subcontractors when applicable
• Reviewing suspected privacy or security incidents
• Reporting incidents as required
• Maintaining incident-response procedures
• Limiting access to PHI to authorized individuals
• Retaining PHI according to contractual, operational, billing, compliance, and legal obligations

No method of electronic transmission, website communication, or electronic storage can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

TE-Billing Solutions® nevertheless maintains safeguards appropriate to our role, contractual obligations, risk environment, and applicable legal requirements.

9. HIPAA Breach and Security Incident Notification

If PHI is accessed, acquired, used, or disclosed in a manner that may violate HIPAA, TE-Billing Solutions® will respond in accordance with applicable law and our Business Associate Agreements.

Depending on the circumstances, we may:

• Investigate the incident
• Contain the incident
• Mitigate potential harm
• Determine what information was involved
• Evaluate whether PHI may have been compromised
• Document the incident and response
• Notify the applicable healthcare provider as required
• Cooperate with the healthcare provider’s investigation
• Provide information necessary for required notifications
• Implement corrective measures when appropriate
• Review security procedures to reduce the risk of recurrence

Patient notification obligations will be handled in accordance with HIPAA and applicable law, including coordination with the applicable Covered Entity.

10. General Website Chat and PHI Restrictions

Our general website chat assistant is intended to provide website navigation assistance, answer general informational questions, and direct users to appropriate resources.

The general website chat assistant is not an approved channel for submitting Protected Health Information.

Do not submit the following through general website chat:

• Medical information
• Diagnosis information
• Treatment information
• Dates of birth
• Insurance identification numbers
• Billing account information
• Claim information
• Explanation of Benefits information
• Social Security numbers
• Payment-card information
• Other sensitive patient or medical information

If a billing matter requires submission of PHI, patients should use an approved secure patient billing form, telephone channel, portal, or other communication method specifically designated by TE-Billing Solutions® or the applicable healthcare provider.

Secure Patient Billing Communications

Billing-related information and PHI may be submitted through secure patient billing forms or other communication channels specifically designated for that purpose.

Information received through an approved patient billing channel may be used to:

• Identify the appropriate patient account
• Research billing questions
• Review insurance information
• Review payment activity
• Review claim activity
• Update or correct billing-related insurance information
• Resolve billing discrepancies
• Communicate with the applicable healthcare provider
• Communicate with an insurance carrier when authorized
• Perform other authorized billing functionsPatients should not use billing communication channels to request medical advice, report medical emergencies, or seek diagnosis or treatment.

11. Website Forms and Electronic Communications

TE-Billing Solutions® may operate website forms for different purposes.

General website forms may be intended for:•

Prospective clients
• Contractors
• Vendors
• Credentialing inquiries
• General business inquiries
• Other non-patient communicationsUsers should not submit PHI through a general website form unless the form is specifically identified as an approved patient billing communication channel.

Forms specifically designated for patient billing inquiries may collect information necessary to research and respond to billing-related questions.Information submitted through website forms will be handled according to the purpose for which it was submitted and in accordance with applicable privacy, security, contractual, and legal requirements.

12. Payment and Patient Account Information

TE-Billing Solutions® may assist patients with billing and payment-related questions on behalf of healthcare providers.

Payments may be processed through payment systems or platforms authorized by the applicable healthcare provider.

Patients should submit payment-card or banking information only through an authorized secure payment system.

Patients should not submit full payment-card information through:

• General website forms
• General website chat
• Standard email
• Other unsecured communication methods

TE-Billing Solutions® does not provide medical treatment and does not independently establish the amounts charged by healthcare providers.

Questions concerning medical necessity, treatment, clinical decisions, or the underlying medical service should be directed to the applicable healthcare provider.

13. Data Retention and Disposal of PHI

TE-Billing Solutions® retains PHI only for as long as reasonably necessary to perform authorized services, meet contractual obligations, maintain required records, comply with applicable law, and support billing, audit, compliance, or operational requirements.

Retention requirements may vary depending on:

• Applicable Business Associate Agreements
• Contractual requirements
• Federal law
• State law
• Billing and payer requirements
• Audit requirements
• Litigation or legal holds
• Other legitimate operational requirements

When PHI is no longer required to be retained, TE-Billing Solutions® will handle its disposal or return in accordance with applicable agreements, policies, and legal requirements.

14. Complaints and Privacy Concerns

If you believe your health information has been handled improperly in connection with billing services performed by TE-Billing Solutions®, you may contact our Privacy Officer.

Privacy Officer

Tricia E-Billing Solutions, LLC
TE-Billing Solutions®3768 Waterton Drive
Grandville, Michigan 49418

Phone: 1-517-231-4086
Email: tricia@tebillingsolutions.com

You may also file a complaint with the:U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office for Civil Rightshttps://www.hhs.gov/ocr/

TE-Billing Solutions® will not retaliate against an individual for filing a privacy complaint or exercising rights permitted under applicable law.

15. Changes to This HIPAA Privacy Notice

TE-Billing Solutions® may revise this Notice when our:

• Services change
• Patient billing processes change
• Technology changes
• Privacy practices change
• Security practices change
• Legal requirements change
• Contractual responsibilities change
• Business operations change

Updated versions will include a revised effective date and may be posted on our website.We encourage users to review the current version of this Notice periodically.

16. Questions About HIPAA Privacy and Patient Billing

If you have questions about this Notice, patient billing privacy, secure billing communications, or how TE-Billing Solutions® protects PHI, please contact: