Policies
Loyal Client Program:
The initial purchase of America Hears hearing instruments includes membership in our Loyal Client Program. Membership in the Loyal Client program entitles the member to either a 10% discount from the full retail price on subsequent purchases of America Hears hearing
instruments or a trade in credit of $75 for each America Hears hearing aid traded in. The credit allowed for a single hearing instrument order
is $75.00 and the credit for a binaural set is $150.00.
Trade-In Policy:
America Hears accepts trade-ins of used hearing instruments on new America Hears hearing instruments on a one-for-one basis. A credit of
$50 will be granted for each hearing instrument traded in and that credit will be applied to the purchase price of new America Hears hearing
aids. The maximum credit allowed for a single hearing instrument purchase is $50.00 and the maximum credit for a binaural set is $100.00.
This offer cannot be combined with any other special offer including, but not limited to, coupons, special sales and close out sales.
If the new hearing instruments are returned for credit during the sixty (60) day return period, the hearing instruments that were traded in
will be returned in the same condition in which they were received. America Hears will not clean, repair, program or test for function the
hearing instruments that were traded in. While America Hears will take all reasonable precautions to insure that the hearing instruments
traded in are not lost or damaged while in our custody, America Hears is not responsible for those hearing instruments while in transit to or
from America Hears.
If the new America Hears hearing instruments are not returned for credit within the sixty (60) day return period, the hearing instruments
traded in become the property of America Hears at the end of the sixty (60) day return period. Accessories, including, but not limited to
batteries, carrying pouches, cleaning tools and presentation cases, sent to America Hears with the traded in hearing instruments will be
discarded upon receipt and not returned.
Once the traded in hearing instruments become the property of America Hears, they are donated to the Rotary Club’s Help-The-
Children-Hear program.
Special Offers:
Special Offers announced on our website and/or in an email shall be extended to those persons who have purchase hearing aids and are
within the sixty (60) day Satisfaction Guaranty Period. However, Special Offers do not extend the Satisfaction Guaranty Period.
Life of the Product:
Life of the Product means the time during which America Hears manufactures, sells, services and supports a particular product. At the
End-Of-Life of the product, America Hears will no longer manufacture, sell, service or support that product. America Hears will, to the extent
possible, provide up to ninety (90) days notice in advance of the End-Of-Life of its products and offer the owners thereof the opportunity to
upgrade to a current hearing instrument.
Shipping Policies:
For hearing instruments covered by of the standard one (1) year or two (2) year extended repair warranty, it is our policy that you pay the
costs of shipping the hearing instruments to America Hears and we pay the cost of returning them to you. For your convenience in shipping
hearing instruments to America Hears, we provide you with a pre-paid shipping label in addition to the packaging materials. Upon receipt of
the returned hearing instruments, the actual cost of shipping incurred by America Hears will be charged back to you.
For hearing instruments no longer covered by one of the standard one (1) year or two (2) year extended repair warranty, it is our policy
that you pay all costs of shipping the hearing instruments.
Two-Day Shipping Rates for U.S. Deliveries: $15.00
One-Day Shipping Rates for U.S. Deliveries: $25.00
All orders with a value over $25.00 are shipped with signature required.
Outside the United States, we ship only to Canada. Residents of Canada are required pay all shipping costs, customs fees and duties of
any kind. Please call or email for details. Residents of Australia please visit www.AustraliaHears.com.au
Shipping Hearing Instruments to America Hears:
Included in your programming and accessory kit are all the packaging materials needed to return your hearing instruments to America Hears
for repair. If you choose not to use the packaging materials provided, or you pack the hearing instruments improperly, you are responsible
for any damage incurred during shipment. Hearing instruments received with excessive damage will not be covered under the repair
warranty (See Hearing Instrument Protection Plan).
Notice Of Privacy Practices:
As Required by the Privacy Regulations Created as a Result of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU (AS A CLIENT OF THIS COMPANY) MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED, AND
HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO YOUR INDIVIDUALLY IDENTIFIABLE HEALTH INFORMATION.
A. OUR COMMITMENT TO YOUR PRIVACY
America Hears is dedicated to maintaining the privacy of your individually identifiable health information (IIHI). In conducting our business,
we will create records regarding you and the services we provide to you. We are required by law to maintain the confidentiality of hearing
health information that identifies you. We also are required by law to provide you with this notice of our legal duties and the privacy
practices that we maintain in our practice concerning your IIHI. By federal and state law, we must follow the terms of the notice of privacy
practices that we have in effect at the time.
We realize that these laws are complicated, but we must provide you with the following important information:
• How we may use and disclose your IIHI
• Your privacy rights in your IIHI
• Our obligations concerning the use and disclosure of your IIHI
The terms of this notice apply to all records containing your IIHI that are created or retained by our company. We reserve the right to revise
or amend this Notice of Privacy Practices. Any revision or amendment to this notice will be effective for all of your records that our company
has created or maintained in the past, and for any of your records that we may create or maintain in the future. Our company will post a
copy of our current Notice in our offices in a visible location at all times, and you may request a copy of our most current Notice at any time.
B. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS NOTICE, PLEASE CONTACT THE PRIVACY OFFICER AT:
806 Beaver Street
Bristol, PA 19007
215-788-0330
C. WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE YOUR INDIVIDUALLY IDENTIFIABLE HEALTH INFORMATION (IIHI) IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS
The following categories describe the different ways in which we may use and disclose your IIHI.
1. Treatment . Our company may use your IIHI to treat you. For example, we will use your audiogram to recommend an appropriate hearing
aid for you. Staff may use or disclose your IIHI in order to treat you or to assist others in your treatment. Additionally, we may disclose your
IIHI to others who may assist in your care, such as your spouse, children or parents. Finally, we may also disclose your IIHI to other health
care providers for purposes related to your treatment.
2. Payment. Our company may use and disclose your IIHI in order to bill and collect payment for the services and items you may receive
from us. For example, we may contact your health insurer to certify that you are eligible for benefits (and for what range of benefits), and
we may provide your insurer with details regarding your treatment to determine if your insurer will cover, or pay for, your treatment. We
also may use and disclose your IIHI to obtain payment from third parties that may be responsible for such costs, such as family members.
Also, we may use your IIHI to bill you directly for services and items. We may disclose your IIHI to other health care providers and entities
to assist in their billing and collection efforts.
3. Health Care Operations. Our company may use and disclose your IIHI to operate our business. As examples of the ways in which we may
use and disclose your information for our operations, our practice may use your IIHI to evaluate the quality of care you received from us, or
to conduct cost-management and business planning activities for our practice. We may disclose your IIHI to other health care providers and
entities to assist in their health care operations.
4. Appointment Reminders. Our company may use and disclose your IIHI to contact you and remind you of an appointment.
5. Treatment Options. Our company may use and disclose your IIHI to inform you of potential treatment options or alternatives.
6. Health-Related Benefits and Services. Our company may use and disclose your IIHI to inform you of health-related benefits or services
that may be of interest to you.
7. Release of Information to Family/Friends. Our company may release your IIHI to a friend or family member that is involved in your care, or
who assists in taking care of you.
8. Disclosures Required By Law . Our company will use and disclose your IIHI when we are required to do so by federal, state or local law.
D. USE AND DISCLOSURE OF YOUR IIHI IN CERTAIN SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES
The following categories describe unique scenarios in which we may use or disclose your identifiable health information:
1. Public Health Risks. Our company may disclose your IIHI to public health authorities that are authorized by law to collect information for
the purpose of:
• Maintaining vital records, such as births and deaths;
• Reporting child abuse or neglect;
• Preventing or controlling disease, injury or disability;
• Notifying a person regarding potential exposure to a communicable disease;;
• Notifying a person regarding a potential risk for spreading or contracting a disease or condition;
• Reporting reactions to drugs or problems with products or devices;
• Notifying individuals if a product or device they may be using has been recalled;
• Notifying appropriate government agencies and authorities regarding the potential abuse or neglect of an adult patient,
including domestic violence (however, we will only disclose this information if the patient agrees or we are required or
authorized by law to disclose this information);
• Notifying your employer under limited circumstances related primarily to workplace injury or illness or medical surveillance.
2. Health Oversight Activities. Our company may disclose your IIHI to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law. Oversight
activities can include, for example, investigations, inspections, audits, surveys, licensure and disciplinary actions; civil, administrative, and
criminal procedures or actions; or other activities necessary for the government to monitor government programs, compliance with civil
rights laws and the health care system in general.
3. Lawsuits and Similar Proceedings. Our company may use and disclose your IIHI in response to a court or administrative order, if you are
involved in a lawsuit or similar proceeding. We also may disclose your IIHI in response to a discovery request, subpoena, or other lawful
process by another party involved in the dispute, but only if we have made an effort to inform you of the request or to obtain an order
protecting the information the party has requested.
4. Law Enforcement. We may release IIHI if asked to do so by a law enforcement official:
• Regarding a crime victim in certain situations, if we are unable to obtain the person’s agreement;
• Concerning a death we believe has resulted from criminal conduct;
• Regarding criminal conduct at our offices;
• In response to a warrant, summons, court order, subpoena or similar legal process;
• To identify/locate a suspect, material witness, fugitive or missing person; and
• In an emergency, to report a crime (including the location or victim(s) of the crime, or the description, identity or location
of the perpetrator)
5. Research. Our company may use and disclose your IIHI for research purposes in certain limited circumstances. We will obtain your written
authorization to use your IIHI for research purposes except when an Institutional Review Board or Privacy Board has determined that the
waiver of your authorization satisfies the following: (i) the use or disclosure involves no more than a minimal risk to your privacy based on
the following: (A) an adequate plan to protect the identifiers from improper use and disclosure; (B) an adequate plan to destroy the
identifiers at the earliest opportunity consistent with the research (unless there is a health or research justification for retaining the
identifiers or such retention is otherwise required by law); and (C) adequate written assurances that the PHI will not be re-used or
disclosed to any other person or entity (except as required by law) for authorized oversight of the research study, or for other research for
which the use or disclosure would otherwise be permitted; (ii) the research could not practicably be conducted without the waiver; and (iii)
the research could not practicably be conducted without access to and use of the PHI.
6. Serious Threats to Health or Safety. Our company may use and disclose your IIHI when necessary to reduce or prevent a serious threat
to your health and safety or the health and safety of another individual or the public. Under these circumstances, we will only make
disclosures to a person or organization able to help prevent the threat.
7. Military. Our company may disclose your IIHI if you are a member of U.S. or foreign military forces (including veterans) and if required by
the appropriate authorities.
8. National Security. Our company may disclose your IIHI to federal officials for intelligence and national security activities authorized
by law. We also may disclose your IIHI to federal officials in order to protect the President, other officials or foreign heads of state, or to
conduct investigations.
9. Inmates. Our company may disclose your IIHI to correctional institutions or law enforcement officials if you are an inmate or under the
custody of a law enforcement official. Disclosure for these purposes would be necessary: (a) for the institution to provide health care
services to you, (b) for the safety and security of the institution, and/or (c) to protect your health and safety or the health and safety of
other individuals.
10. Workers’ Compensation. Our practice may release your IIHI for workers’ compensation and similar programs.
E. YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING YOUR IIHI
You have the following rights regarding the IIHI that we maintain about you:
1. Confidential Communications. You have the right to request that our practice communicate with you about your health and related issues
in a particular manner or at a certain location. For instance, you may ask that we contact you at home, rather than work. In order to
request a type of confidential communication, you must make a written request to Privacy Officer, 806 Beaver Street Bristol, PA 19007
specifying the requested method of contact, or the location where you wish to be contacted. Our company will accommodate reasonable
requests. You do not need to give a reason for your request.
2. Requesting Restrictions. You have the right to request a restriction in our use or disclosure of your IIHI for treatment, payment or hearing
health care operations. Additionally, you have the right to request that we restrict our disclosure of your IIHI to only certain individuals
involved in your care or the payment for your care, such as family members and friends. We are not required to agree to your request;
however, if we do agree, we are bound by our agreement except when otherwise required by law, in emergencies, or when the information
is necessary to treat you. In order to request a restriction in our use or disclosure of your IIHI, you must make your request in writing to
Privacy Officer, 806 Beaver Street Bristol, PA 19007. Your request must describe in a clear and concise fashion:
(a) the information you wish restricted;
(b) whether you are requesting to limit our practice's use, disclosure or both; and
(c) to whom you want the limits to apply.
3. Inspection and Copies. You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of the IIHI that may be used to make decisions about you,
including patient medical records and billing records. You must submit your request in writing to Privacy Officer 806 Beaver Street Bristol, PA
19007 in order to inspect and/or obtain a copy of your IIHI. Our company may charge a fee for the costs of copying, mailing, labor and
supplies associated with your request. Our company may deny your request to inspect and/or copy in certain limited circumstances;
however, you may request a review of our denial. Another hearing health care professional chosen by us will conduct reviews.
4. Amendment. You may ask us to amend your hearing health information if you believe it is incorrect or incomplete, and you may request
an amendment for as long as the information is kept by or for our practice. To request an amendment, your request must be made in
writing and submitted to Privacy Officer 806 Beaver Street Bristol, PA 19007. You must provide us with a reason that supports your request
for amendment. Our company will deny your request if you fail to submit your request (and the reason supporting your request) in writing.
Also, we may deny your request if you ask us to amend information that is in our opinion: (a) accurate and complete; (b) not part of the IIHI
kept by or for the practice; (c) not part of the IIHI which you would be permitted to inspect and copy; or (d) not created by our practice,
unless the individual or entity that created the information is not available to amend the information.
5. Accounting of Disclosures. All of our clients have the right to request an “accounting of disclosures.” An “accounting of disclosures” is a
list of certain non-routine disclosures our practice has made of your IIHI for non-treatment, non-payment or non-operations purposes.
Use of your IIHI as part of the routine client care in our practice is not required to be documented. In order to obtain an accounting of
disclosures, you must submit your request in writing to Privacy Officer 806 Beaver Street Bristol, PA 19007. All requests for an “accounting
of disclosures” must state a time period, which may not be longer than six (6) years from the date of disclosure and may not include dates
before April 14, 2003. The first list you request within a 12-month period is free of charge, but our company may charge you for additional
lists within the same 12-month period. Our company will notify you of the costs involved with additional requests, and you may withdraw
your request before you incur any costs.
6. Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice. You are entitled to receive a paper copy of our notice of privacy practices. You may ask us to give
you a copy of this notice at any time. To obtain a paper copy of this notice, contact Privacy Officer 806 Beaver Street Bristol, PA 19007.
7. Right to File a Complaint. If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with our practice or with the
Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. To file a complaint with our practice, contact Privacy Officer 806 Beaver Street
Bristol, PA 19007. All complaints must be submitted in writing. You will not be penalized for filing a complaint.
8. Right to Provide an Authorization for Other Uses and Disclosures. Our company will obtain your written authorization for uses and
disclosures that are not identified by this notice or permitted by applicable law. Any authorization you provide to us regarding the use and
disclosure of your IIHI may be revoked at any time in writing. After you revoke your authorization, we will no longer use or disclose your
IIHI for the reasons described in the authorization. Please note, we are required to retain records of your care.
If you have any questions regarding this notice or our health information privacy policies, please contact Privacy Officer 806 Beaver Street
Bristol, PA 19007.