This notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information. Please review it carefully.

Background – SkylineDx USA, Inc. (“SkylineDx”) provides clinical laboratory testing services. In providing these testing services, SkylineDx receives, creates, and discloses personal health information. This information is private and confidential. SkylineDx has policies and procedures in place to protect the information against unlawful use and disclosure. This Notice of Privacy Practices describes information we collect, how we use that information, and when and to whom we may disclose it.

Your Information. Your Rights. Our Responsibilities.

Protected health information, or PHI, is health information that relates to the past, present, or future physical condition of a patient, the act of providing health care to that patient, or payments for the health care services provided to that patient.  SkylineDx will not use or disclose PHI without your authorization unless otherwise permitted by law or regulation. When we use or disclose PHI, we are required to abide by the terms of this notice. We are required by law to let you know if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information.

Your Information. Your Rights. Our Responsibilities.

You have the right to:

  • Get a copy of your paper or electronic medical record
    • You can ask to see or get an electronic or paper copy of your medical record and other health information we have about you.
    • We will provide a copy or a summary of your health information, usually within 30 days of your request. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee.
    • To request a copy of your PHI and designated record set document release form, contact SkylineDx’s Customer Service at 858-886-7907, option 1.
  • Correct your paper or electronic medical record
  • You can ask us to correct health information about you that you think is incorrect or incomplete. Please contact SkylineDx’s Customer Service at 858-886-7907, option 1.
    • We may say “no” to your request, but we’ll tell you why, in writing, within 30 days.
  • Request confidential communication
  • You can ask us to contact you in a specific way (for example, home or office phone) or to send mail to a different address.
  • We will say “yes” to all reasonable requests.
  • Ask us to limit the information we share
  • You can ask us not to use or share certain health information for treatment, payment, or our operations. We are not required to agree to your request, and we may say “no” if it would affect your care.
  • If you pay for a service or health care item out-of-pocket in full, you can ask us not to share that information for the purpose of payment or our operations with your health insurer. We will say “yes” unless a law requires us to share that information.
  • Get a list of those with whom we’ve shared your information
  • You can ask for a list (accounting) of the times we’ve shared your health information for six years prior to the date you ask, who we shared it with, and why.
  • We will include all the disclosures except for those about treatment, payment, and health care operations, and certain other disclosures (such as any you asked us to make). We’ll provide one accounting a year for free but will charge a reasonable, cost-based fee if you ask for another one within 12 months.
  • Get a copy of this privacy notice
  • You can ask for a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive the notice electronically. We will provide you with a paper copy promptly. Click the link below for a printer-friendly version.
  • Choose someone to act for you
  • If you have given someone medical power of attorney or if someone is your legal guardian, that person can exercise your rights and make choices about your health information.
  • We will make sure the person has this authority and can act for you before we take any action.
  • File a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated
  • You can file a complaint if you feel we have violated your rights by contacting us at 619-704-2153 and request Compliance. Please include your name, contact information, and a brief description of the complaint. If you prefer, you may submit an anonymous complaint by sending a letter to:

Compliance, SkylineDx USA
SkylineDx, Inc. USA
3030 Bunker Hill Street, Suite 230
San Diego, CA 92109

  • You may also file a complaint directly with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights by calling 1-877-696-6775, visiting hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/, or sending a letter to:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201

  • We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint with us or the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
  • For certain health information, you can tell us your choices about what we share. If you have a preference for how we share your information in the situations described below, talk to us. Tell us what you want us to do, and we will follow your instructions. In these cases, you have both the right and choice to tell us to:
  • Share information with your family, close friends, or others involved in your care
    • Share information in a disaster relief situation
  • If you are not able to tell us your preference, for example if you are incapacitated, we may go ahead and share your information if we believe it is in your best interest. We may also share your in formation when needed to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety
  • In these cases, we never share your information unless you give us written permission:
  • Marketing purposes
  • Sale of your information

Standard Uses and Disclosures of PHI

In the course of providing laboratory services, SkylineDx may typically use or share your health information in the following ways:

  • Treatment – We can use your health information and share it with other professionals who are treating you such as, for example, performing laboratory testing requested by your physician in which the result(s) may be used in your treatment.
  • Payment – We uses and disclose PHI to obtain reimbursement for testing services. Examples of these payment activities include billing, determination of eligibility and obtaining authorization for those services.
  • Health care operations – We use and disclose PHI for our health care operations such as for internal administration and planning, and various activities that improve the quality and cost effectiveness of the services we provide.

How else can we use or share your health information?

We are allowed or required to use or disclose your information in other ways or as required by law. We have to meet many conditions in the law before we can share your information for these purposes. For more information visit:

www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/index.html

  • Sharing of information to you or your personal representative – we may disclose PHI to you or someone who has the legal right to act for you in order to administer your rights as described in this notice.
  • Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – we are required to disclose PHI to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or an employee of the Department, if necessary, to ensure that we are complying with federal privacy law and top make sure the privacy of your PHI is protected.
  • Sharing of information required by law and law enforcement – We may disclose PHI to the extent such use or disclosure is required by law and it complies with, and is limited to, the requirements of that law.
  • Research – We may use and disclose PHI for purpose of research when permitted.
  • Public Health Activities – We may disclose PHI for public health activities to public health authorities or other appropriate government authorities authorized by law to receive your information.
  • Health Oversight – We may use and disclose PHI to health oversight agencies for activities authorized by law such as government audits of our compliance with certain laws and regulations; and oversight of government funded health benefits programs.
  • Workers’ Compensation – We may use or disclose PHI to comply with Workers’ Compensation laws.
  • Coroner, Medical Examiners, Funeral Directors – We may share your PHI with a coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director, as necessary, to carry out their duty.
  • Organ Donation – We can share information about you with organ procurement organizations.
  • Other Government, Military, Intelligence Functions – We can use or share health information about you for special government functions such as military, national security, and presidential protective services.
  • Respond to Lawsuits and Legal Actions – We can share health information about you in response to a court or administrative order, or in response to a subpoena.

Your Information. Your Rights. Our Responsibilities.

We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information.

  • We will let you know promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information.
  • We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in this notice and give you a copy of it.
  • We will not use or share your information other than as described here unless you tell us we can in writing. If you tell us we can, you may change your mind at any time. Let us know in writing if you change your mind.
  • For more information see: hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/noticepp.html.

Communication with SkylineDx USA, Inc.

As a convenience, SkylineDx may provide email addresses by which you can communicate with us regarding customer service and billing support. Please be advised that email is not a secure means of communication. Therefore, SkylineDx cannot guarantee the security of any information that you send prior to our receipt of it. This fact may also restrict our use of email in responding to you. Because of this, we may use an alternate means of communicating to you where PHI is involved.

Access and Updates to the Terms of this Notice

This notice is published on the SkylineDx website at merlinmelanomatest.com/us/notice-of-privacy-practices and is available to download and print. Additionally, a printed copy of the notice can be mailed to you upon request. We can change the terms of this notice, and the changes will apply to all information we have about you. The new notice will be available on our web site.

Effective Date of this Notice: This notice describes the privacy policy of SkylineDx USA, Inc. that will become effective on or after 05/16/2023.

Contact Us:

SkylineDx USA, Compliance
619-704-2153

SkylineDx USA Customer Service
customerservice@skylinedx.com
858-886-7907, option 1

SkylineDx USA Billing
billing@skylinedx.com
858-886-7907, option 2

Print Notice of Patient Privacy Practices