Privacy Policy | Merge Health LLC

Merge Health LLC Privacy Policy

Merge Health LLC understands how important the privacy of personal information is to our users. This Privacy Policy will tell you what information we collect about you and about your use of Merge Health and its services. It will explain the choices you have about how your personal information is used and how we protect that information. We urge you to read this Privacy Policy carefully.

Limitation of Liability

Any user (customer, member, client) of this site agrees to defend, indemnify and hold harmless MERGE HEALTH LLC and its affiliates, and their officers, directors, employees, agents, successors and assigns from and against any and all losses, damages, liabilities, deficiencies, actions, judgments, interest, awards, penalties, fines, costs or expenses of whatever kind (including reasonable attorneys' fees) relating, but not limited, to the following: The User’s own conduct; The Users breach or alleged breach of this Agreement; The Users violation of laws, rules regulations, codes, statutes, ordinances or orders of any governmental or quasi-governmental authority; Financial loss or injury suffered by the User from any cause whatsoever; Death or bodily injury suffered by the User or its patients from any cause whatsoever; Damage to or destruction of any property owned or maintained by the User or its patients, regardless of the cause; Any error of judgment by Indemnitees or any mistake of law or fact by Indemnitees; Damage to the User, its patients or members due to identity theft, loss or misappropriation of patient or member data, loss or misappropriation of patient or member medical records, loss or misappropriation of patient or member insurance records or personal information of any kind; Damage to User or its patients or members due to insurance providers failure to pay patient claims or issue prior authorizations; Damage to User patients or members due to any cause whatsoever; Breach of any representation, warranty or obligation under this Agreement.

In no event shall MERGE HEALTH LLC, its employees, agents, owners, officers, successors, heirs or assigns be liable to the User or any other related party for special, consequential, indirect, incidental, punitive or exemplary damages, however caused, whether for breach of warranty, contract, tort (including negligence), or through any losses, damages, liabilities, deficiencies, actions, judgments, interests, awards, penalties, fines costs or expenses of any kind, strict liability or otherwise, regardless of the cause.

MERGE HEALTH LLC makes no representations or warranties or endorsements of any kind, whatsoever, statutory or implied, as to any Service provided.

This Privacy Policy applies to websites owned and operated by Merge Health LLC that are intended for use by consumers (non-professionals) for non-commercial personal, family or household purposes, including MergeHealth.org, and companies affiliated with and or owned by Merge Health and including the mobile optimized versions of these sites and our Mobile Device Applications or "Apps" (we refer to these sites and Apps collectively as the “Merge Health Sites”). We refer to the Merge Health Sites and Apps, along with the information and services made available to you through the Merge Health Sites and Apps, as the “Services.”

This Privacy Policy also applies to the consumer-facing version of the Merge Health Products. You will continue to have access to your health information from Merge Health.org, using your username and password, but will be subject to this Privacy Policy.

Except where noted, statements in this Privacy Policy with respect to the Merge Health Sites also apply to the Apps. If you do not want us to collect, use or disclose information about you and your use of the Services as described in this Privacy Policy, then you should not use our Services. By using the Services, you must agree to the Merge Health LLC Terms of Use, which is the contract between us and users of the Services. By accepting the Merge Health LLC Terms of Use, you confirm that you have read and understand this Privacy Policy and you acknowledge that we will store, use and otherwise process your information in the United States where we are located.

References to "Merge Health," “we” or “us” mean Merge Health LLC, including any company that Merge Health LLC controls (for example, a subsidiary that Merge Health LLC owns). Merge Health may share information among its subsidiaries or websites that it owns or controls, but information collected under this Privacy Policy is always protected under the terms of this Privacy Policy. Except as otherwise noted in this Privacy Policy, Merge Health LLC is the data controller responsible for the processing of your personal information as described in this Privacy Policy.

Registration

While you may use most of the Services without registering, certain Services do require that you register with Merge Health for them to function properly. If you choose to register or update an existing account with Merge Health or access certain Services, you may be required to provide certain personal information, such as your name, address, telephone number, gender, email address and date of birth, and a username and password to access your Merge Health account. You are responsible for ensuring the accuracy of the personal information that you submit to Merge Health.

Merge Health Services

Merge Health Services (Merge Health) provides you with a secure place to gather, store, manage and share your personal information and provides tools and services to better manage your health and the health of your family. You are required to register with Merge Health to use Merge Health services. Merge Health has the ability to use information that you provide to send you personalized emails or secure electronic messages. However, Merge Health does not allow any third parties to gather any data about you in connection with your use of the Merge Health including through the use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Furthermore, Merge Health does not use any information that you submit in connection with Merge Health to deliver any advertisements to you on or off of the Merge Health Sites.

Email Newsletters

By using this Merge Health services, visiting our site and registering you agree to receive informational/promotional newsletters – such as a newsletter relating to a specific health condition – via email from Merge Health and/or directly from third parties. From time to time Merge Health may offer users of third party websites the opportunity to subscribe to our newsletters through those websites. If you elect to subscribe to one of our newsletters on a third party website, the operator of that website will provide us with the personal information you have provided in connection with the subscription request, which we may use in accordance with this Privacy Policy as though you had provided it directly to Merge Health.

Market Research

From time to time, Merge Health may conduct online research surveys on behalf of itself and third parties through email invitations, pop-up surveys and online focus groups. When participating in a survey, we may require you to provide your location and age. The information you submit in a survey may be used by Merge Health for research and measurement purposes, as described below, including to measure the effectiveness of content, advertising or programs.

Emails You Send to Merge Health

This Privacy Policy does not apply to information, content, business information, ideas, concepts or inventions that you send to Merge Health by email. If you want to keep content or business information, ideas, concepts or inventions private or proprietary, do not send them in an email to Merge Health.

Services and Device Information

When you access and use the Services, Merge Health automatically collects and stores in its server logs information from your browser or mobile device such as your IP address or unique device identifier, browser information (including referring URL), your preferences and settings, cookies and information about the content you have viewed and actions taken (e.g., search queries, ad engagement, clicks and the associated dates and times). Merge Health may also collect device-specific information when you install and use an App including your device model, operating system information, advertising ID (which is a unique, user-resettable identification number for advertising associated with a mobile device) and App version and usage information. When enabled by you, we collect precise location information provided by your mobile device, which you may disable through the device settings.

Precise Geolocation Data

When enabled by you, we collect precise location information provided by your mobile device. We do so to provide you more relevant content including advertising based on your location. You may disable the collection and use of your location data through your device settings. To change location settings on your device, please refer to your device’s official knowledge base.

Cookies and Other Tracking Technologies

We may use cookies to collect information about your use of the Services. “Cookies” are small data files assigned to your browser when you visit a Merge Health Site which enable recognition of your browser and collect and store information about your use of the Services, as described above.

How Information Collected About You Is Used

Information about your use of the Services may be used for the following purposes:

to provide, improve and create new Services,
to respond to your inquiries and to send you administrative communications about the Merge Health Sites and Services,
to obtain your feedback about the Merge Health Sites and Services,
to send you secure electronic messages and personalized emails pertaining to your interests as inferred from your use of the Services, including news, announcements, reminders and opportunities from Merge Health,
to statistically analyze trends and user behavior and activity including how frequently areas of the Merge Health Sites are visited, how the Services are being used and how many emails are received and opened,
to provide you and people with similar demographic characteristics and interests with more relevant content including advertising both on and off the Merge Health Sites and Apps,
to detect and defend against fraud and other threats to the Services and our users,
to identify issues with the Services,
to conduct research and measurement activities, including those described below, and
to administer your account.

In addition, Merge Health may use personal information about you for other purposes that are disclosed to you at the time we collect the information and/or with your consent.

Sharing Your Information

Merge Health Subsidiaries and Corporate Affiliates

We may share your information with our subsidiaries, affiliates and companies acquired by or merged with us and our affiliates for their use for the purposes set forth in this Privacy Policy. In the event of a corporate change in control resulting from, for example, a sale to, or merger with, another entity, or in the event of a sale of assets or a bankruptcy, Merge Health reserves the right to transfer your personal information to the new party in control or the party acquiring assets. In the event of such a change, your personal information will continue to be treated in accordance with this Privacy Policy unless any changes to the Privacy Policy are made in accordance with the section below that discusses “Changes to This Privacy Policy.”

Companies and Contractors that Work with Merge Health

Merge Health may work with third party companies and contractors that help us provide the Services and to otherwise assist in the operation of the Merge Health Sites and Apps, including those that provide services relating to technology, data analysis, research, email management and deployment, advertising and marketing and/or content. If you are in the United States, we may also partner with certain service providers to better understand your experience on the Merge Health Sites, including technology that enables us to review and optimize the Services based on your interactions with certain pages (e.g., how much time you spend on which pages, which links you choose to click, what you do and don’t like, etc.) in an anonymized format. Merge Health contractors sometimes have limited access to your information in the course of providing products or services to Merge Health. We contractually require that our contractors not use or disclose your information for any purpose other than providing the limited service or function for Merge Health.

Certain content, services and advertisements offered to you through the Merge Health Sites are served on, or contain links to, websites hosted and operated by a company other than Merge Health ("Third Party Websites"). Merge Health does not share your personal information with any Third Party Websites without your consent. Merge Health does not endorse and is not responsible for the privacy practices of any Third Party Websites. You should review the privacy policy posted on the Third Party Website to understand how that Third Party Website collects and uses your information. Merge Health makes an effort to make it obvious to you when you leave a Merge Health Site and enter a Third Party Website, either by requiring you to click on a link or by notifying you on the Merge Health Site before you visit the third party site. In addition, if you see a phrase such as "Powered by" or "in association with" followed by the name of a company other than Merge Health, then you are on a website hosted by a company other than Merge Health. When you use a co-branded service (a service operated with a partner of Merge Health, we may pass the collected information back to that partner, which may include third party service providers whose services are embedded into and/or appear within the Services.

We may also include social widgets on the Merge Health Sites which enable you to interact with the associated social media services, e.g., to share an article. These widgets may collect browsing data which may be received by the third party that provided the widget and are controlled by these third parties. You may be able to manage your privacy preferences directly with the applicable social network platform.

Compliance with Law, Regulation, and Law Enforcement Requests

To cooperate with government and law enforcement officials and private parties to enforce and comply with law, we may release personal information to third parties: (1) to comply with legal requirements such as a law, regulation, search warrant, subpoena or court order; (2) when we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, protect your safety or the safety of others, investigate fraud, or respond to a government request; or (3) in special cases, such as in response to a physical threat to you or others, to protect property or defend or assert legal rights. In addition, we may disclose personal information as described below.

How Your Information is Secured and Retained

We take reasonable security measures to protect the security of your personal information. Despite Merge Health's efforts to protect your personal information, there is always some risk that an unauthorized third party may find a way around our security systems or that transmissions of your information over the Internet may be intercepted.

The security of your personal information is important to us. When you enter personal information (including personal health information in various Services), we encrypt the transmission of that information or use SSL connections (Secure Socket Layer) technology.

We will retain your personal information as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you Services. At any time you can remove your personal information or instruct us to remove it, but you should be aware that it is not technologically possible to remove each and every record of the information you have provided to Merge Health from our servers. See “Your Choices and Rights” below for more information on how you can update or remove your personal information. We will also retain your personal information as necessary to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes and enforce our agreements.

Your Choices and Rights

Updating/Removing Your Personal Information

If you do not want your personal information used by Merge Health as provided in this Privacy Policy, you should not use the Merge Health Sites, Apps and Services. You can correct, update or review personal information you have previously submitted by going back to the specific Service, logging-in and making the desired change. You can also update any personal information you have submitted by contacting us using the contact information listed below or through the Contact Us link provided at the bottom of every page of the Merge Health Sites.

If you have registered and desire to delete any of your registration information you have provided to us from our systems, please contact us using the contact information listed below in the “Contact Us” section or through the Contact Us link provided at the bottom of every page of the Merge Health Sites. Upon your request, we will delete your registration information from our active databases and where feasible from our back-up media. You should be aware that it is not technologically possible to remove each and every record of the information you have provided to the Merge Health Sites from our servers.

When you sign up to receive email communications for any of our Services, including our email newsletters, or at any time, you can choose to opt out of receiving additional newsletters or other email communications from Merge Health or our advertisers or sponsors.

You can unsubscribe from an email newsletter by:

Following the directions included at the bottom of the newsletter and using the “Unsubscribe” link found in the emails.
Logging in to the Merge Health Sites and unchecking the newsletters you no longer wish to receive under the “My Profile” section.

If you decide that you would prefer not to receive personalized email or secure electronic messages from the Merge Health using the “Contact Us” feature or by emailing us directly.

All promotional emails that Merge Health sends with opportunities from Merge Health or with offers or informational materials from Merge Health on behalf of our sponsors will contain an opportunity to unsubscribe from getting additional emails of that type in the future from Merge Health unless you re-subscribe.

Most browser software can be set to reject Cookies. Most browsers offer instructions on how to reset the browser to reject Cookies in the "Help" or “Settings” or “Preferences” section of your browser’s toolbar. Refer to your browser settings to learn more about cookies.

Children

We are committed to protecting the privacy of children. The Merge Health Sites are not designed or intended to attract children under the age of 13. The Merge Health Sites do not collect personal information from any person we actually know is under the age of 13. A parent or guardian, however, may use Merge Health Health to establish a personal health record and a Merge Health home page for a minor. The parent or guardian is solely responsible for providing supervision of the minor's use of Merge Health. The parent or guardian assumes full responsibility for ensuring that the registration information is kept secure and that the information submitted is accurate. The parent or guardian also assumes full responsibility for the interpretation and use of any information or suggestions provided through Merge Health for the minor.

Note to Users Outside of the United States

Merge Health and our technical infrastructure are located in the United States. The personal information that you provide to us is stored on servers located in the United States. If you are located in another jurisdiction, you should be aware that in order to provide the Services to you, we must transfer your personal information to the United States where it will be stored and processed in accordance with this Privacy Policy. We may transfer your information outside the United States to service providers with operations in other countries. By using the Services, you consent to such collection, storage and processing in the United States and elsewhere, though the United States and other jurisdictions may not afford the same level of data protection as considered adequate in your own country. We will take reasonable steps to protect your personal information. Note that your personal information may be available to the United States government or its agencies under legal process made in the United States.

Contacting Merge Health About Your Personal Information or Privacy

Please send us an email by using the Contact Us link at the bottom of every page of the Merge Health Sites if you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or the personal information we maintain about you. We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe.

You can also contact Merge Health’s Privacy Office at:

Merge Health LLC
Attn: Office of Privacy
30 N Gould St, Ste R
Sheridan, WY 82801
Phone: 888-404-5134

If you have an unresolved privacy or data use concern that we have not addressed satisfactorily, please contact us directly using the “Contact Us” form on our website.

Merge Health users may also contact our Data Protection Officer at info@mergehealth.org

Changes to this Privacy Policy

We reserve the right to change or modify this Privacy Policy and any of our Services at any time and any changes will be effective upon being posted unless we advise otherwise. If we make any material changes to this Privacy Policy we will notify you by means of a notice on the Merge Health Sites and/or by email to our registered users (sent to the email address specified when you register) prior to the change becoming effective. By continuing to use the Services after changes are made to this Privacy Policy, you agree to such changes. We encourage you to periodically review this Privacy Policy for the latest information on our privacy practices. If you do not accept the terms of this Privacy Policy, we ask that you do not register with us and that you do not use the Merge Health Sites. Please exit the Merge Health Sites immediately if you do not agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy.