HIPAA Business Associate Agreement
This Business Associate Agreement (“Agreement”) between Customer and DentalQore LLC is incorporated into the DentalQore Terms of Service found at https://www.dentalqore.com/tos, unless superseded by a custom Business Associate Agreement signed by both parties.
Customer (referred to in this document as “Covered Entity”) and DentalQore LLC (referred to in this document as “Business Associate”) (together, “the Parties”) have entered into a written agreement titled “DentalQore Service Agreement” (the “Service Agreement”) effective as of the date it was signed (“Effective Date”). Business Associate performs the services described in the Service Agreement (“Services”).
This Agreement sets forth the responsibilities and obligations of Business Associate as a business associate of Covered Entity under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”) and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (“HITECH Act”) and their accompanying regulations.
Covered Entity may make available to Business Associate Protected Health Information of individuals in conjunction with the Services Business Associate provides. Business Associate will use or disclose such Protected Health Information only in accordance with this Agreement.
Definitions
Catch-all definition:
The following terms used in this Agreement shall have the same meaning as those terms in the HIPAA Rules: Breach, Data Aggregation, Designated Record Set, Disclosure, Health Care Operations, Individual, Minimum Necessary, Notice of Privacy Practices, Protected Health Information, Required By Law, Secretary, Security Incident, Subcontractor, Unsecured Protected Health Information, and Use.
Specific definitions:
“Covered Entity” shall generally have the same meaning as the term “covered entity” at 45 CFR 160.103, and in reference to the party to this agreement, shall mean Customer.
“Business Associate” shall generally have the same meaning as the term “business associate” at 45 CFR 160.103, and in reference to the party to this agreement, shall mean DentalQore LLC.
“HIPAA Rules” shall mean the Privacy, Security, Breach Notification, and Enforcement Rules at 45 CFR Part 160 and Part 164.
Obligations and Activities of Business Associate
Business Associate agrees to:
(a) Not use or disclose protected health information other than as permitted or required by the Agreement or as required by law;
(b) Use appropriate safeguards, and comply with Subpart C of 45 CFR Part 164 with respect to electronic protected health information, to prevent use or disclosure of protected health information other than as provided for by the Agreement;
(c) Report to Covered Entity any use or disclosure of protected health information not provided for by the Agreement of which it becomes aware, including breaches of unsecured protected health information as required at 45 CFR 164.410, and any security incident of which it becomes aware;
(d) In accordance with 45 CFR 164.502(e)(1)(ii) and 164.308(b)(2), if applicable, ensure that any subcontractors that create, receive, maintain, or transmit protected health information on behalf of Business Associate agree to the same restrictions, conditions, and requirements that apply to Business Associate with respect to such information;
(e) Make available protected health information in a designated record set to Covered Entity as necessary to satisfy Covered Entity’s obligations under 45 CFR 164.524;
(f) Make any amendment(s) to protected health information in a designated record set as directed or agreed to by Covered Entity pursuant to 45 CFR 164.526, or take other measures as necessary to satisfy Covered Entity’s obligations under 45 CFR 164.526;
(g) Maintain and make available the information required to provide an accounting of disclosures to Covered Entity as necessary to satisfy Covered Entity’s obligations under 45 CFR 164.528;
(h) To the extent Business Associate is to carry out one or more of Covered Entity’s obligation(s) under Subpart E of 45 CFR Part 164, comply with the requirements of Subpart E that apply to Covered Entity in the performance of such obligation(s); and
(i) Make its internal practices, books, and records available to the Secretary for purposes of determining compliance with the HIPAA Rules.
Permitted Uses and Disclosures by Business Associate
(a) Business Associate may only use or disclose protected health information as necessary to perform the Services set forth in Service Agreement.
(b) Business Associate may use or disclose protected health information as required by law.
(c) Business Associate agrees to make uses and disclosures and requests for protected health information consistent with Covered Entity’s minimum necessary policies and procedures.
(d) Business Associate may not use or disclose protected health information in a manner that would violate Subpart E of 45 CFR Part 164 if done by Covered Entity except for the specific uses and disclosures set forth below.
(e) Business Associate may use protected health information for the proper management and administration of Business Associate or to carry out the legal responsibilities of Business Associate.
(f) Business Associate may disclose protected health information for the proper management and administration of Business Associate or to carry out the legal responsibilities of Business Associate, provided the disclosures are required by law, or Business Associate obtains reasonable assurances from the person to whom the information is disclosed that the information will remain confidential and used or further disclosed only as required by law or for the purposes for which it was disclosed to the person, and the person notifies Business Associate of any instances of which it is aware in which the confidentiality of the information has been breached.
Provisions for Covered Entity to Inform Business Associate of Privacy Practices and Restrictions
(a) Covered Entity shall notify Business Associate of any limitation(s) in the notice of privacy practices of Covered Entity under 45 CFR 164.520, to the extent that such limitation may affect Business Associate’s use or disclosure of protected health information.
(b) Covered Entity shall notify Business Associate of any changes in, or revocation of, the permission by an individual to use or disclose his or her protected health information, to the extent that such changes may affect Business Associate’s use or disclosure of protected health information.
(c) Covered Entity shall notify Business Associate of any restriction on the use or disclosure of protected health information that Covered Entity has agreed to or is required to abide by under 45 CFR 164.522, to the extent that such restriction may affect Business Associate’s use or disclosure of protected health information.
Permissible Requests by Covered Entity
Covered Entity shall not request Business Associate to use or disclose protected health information in any manner that would not be permissible under Subpart E of 45 CFR Part 164 if done by Covered Entity.
Term and Termination
(a) Term. The Term of this Agreement shall be effective as of the Effective Date, and shall terminate when the business relationship between Covered Entity and Business Associate terminates, or on the date Covered Entity terminates for cause as authorized in paragraph (b) of this Section, whichever is sooner.
(b) Termination for Cause. Business Associate authorizes termination of this Agreement by Covered Entity, if Covered Entity determines Business Associate has violated a material term of the Agreement and Business Associate has not cured the breach or ended the violation within 30 days of written notice from Covered Entity.
(c) Obligations of Business Associate Upon Termination.
Upon termination of this Agreement for any reason, Business Associate shall return to Covered Entity all protected health information received from Covered Entity, or created, maintained, or received by Business Associate on behalf of Covered Entity, that Business Associate still maintains in any form. Business Associate may maintain copies of protected health information in automated data backups for up to one year after termination.
(d) Survival. The obligations of Business Associate under this Section shall survive the termination of this Agreement.
Miscellaneous
(a) Regulatory References. A reference in this Agreement to a section in the HIPAA Rules means the section as in effect or as amended.
(b) Amendment. The Parties agree to take such action as is necessary to amend this Agreement from time to time as is necessary for compliance with the requirements of the HIPAA Rules and any other applicable law.
(c) Interpretation. Any ambiguity in this Agreement shall be interpreted to permit compliance with the HIPAA Rules.