Florida Department of Health Volunteer Health Care Provider Program (VHCPP) Practice Flashcards

These flashcards provide vocabulary and key data points from the Florida Department of Health Volunteer Health Care Provider Program 2025 Training Guide.

Volunteer Health Care Provider Program (VHCPP)

A program by the Florida Department of Health that allows licensed providers to volunteer with liability protection from state-sponsored sovereign immunity.

Florida Administrative Code Rule $64I-2.002$

The specific rule referring to the eligibility and referral functions performed by Eligibility and Referral Specialists for the Department of Health.

Sovereign Immunity

State-sponsored liability protection extended to providers for services rendered under the auspices of the VHCPP.

Eligibility Determination

A required process to ensure that volunteer medical or dental providers serve only those with no other source of care who meet financial criteria.

Section $768.28$, Florida Statutes

The statute that outlines the limitations on potential damages for health care providers acting as agents of the state.

Public Records Laws Exemption

Exemption applied to all personal identifying information provided during the eligibility process in Florida.

HIPAA Privacy Rule (Finalized Date)

Finalized on August $14$, $2002$, to ensure personal medical information is protected.

Covered Entity

A health care provider, health plan, or health care clearinghouse that transmits health care information in electronic form.

Business Associates

Entities such as billing services that have access to medical records and are covered indirectly by the HIPAA privacy rule.

Protected Health Information (PHI)

Any health information and other patient information used or disclosed by a covered entity in any form (oral, paper, or electronic).

PHI Identifiers

Data points like name, address, social security number, or physician's notes that connect a patient to their health information.

Use of PHI

When PHI is shared, examined, applied, or analyzed by a covered entity.

Disclosure of PHI

When PHI is released, transferred, or accessed by anyone outside the covered entity.

TPO

An acronym for Treatment, Payment, and healthcare Operations, for which PHI may be used or disclosed without specific authorization.

Incidental Disclosures

Permitted disclosures such as waiting room sign-in sheets or physicians conferring at nurse's stations where they might be overheard.

Written Authorization

Required for the use or disclosure of PHI for purposes other than TPO, such as marketing or psychotherapy notes.

Marketing Activities

Activities such as selling lists of patients and enrollees to third parties, which requires written authorization.

Disease Management

A topic about which health care providers can communicate freely with patients without requiring specific HIPAA authorization.

Right to Revoke

The patient's right to cancel an authorization for PHI use, which must be described in the authorization form.

Authorization Expiration

A required component of an authorization form; after this point, a new authorization must be obtained.

Patient Directory

A facility listing for which PHI can be used without authorization, provided there is patient agreement.

Disaster Relief Efforts

Circumstances where PHI may be shared with appropriate agencies without authorization to notify family of a patient's location or condition.

Public Health Activities

Disclosures permitted without patient agreement for disease prevention, control, or reporting victims of abuse.

Health Oversight Activities

Permitted disclosures for audits, administrative investigations, or licensure.

Limited Data Set

PHI from which any data that could link the information to a person has been removed, used for research or public health.

Minimum Necessary

The principle that PHI disclosure should be limited to the least amount of information required to complete a task.

Privacy Notice Timing

Adequate notice must be given on the first date of service delivery or as soon as possible after an emergency.

Right to Inspect and Copy

The patient's right to see and obtain copies of their PHI, maintainable for $6$ years prior to the request.

History of Non-routine Disclosures

A list of disclosures a patient has the right to request covering the $6$ years preceding the request.

Privacy Official

A designated person responsible for implementing HIPAA programs and receiving complaints within a facility.

$100$ Civil Penalty

The starting fine for a HIPAA violation, up to a maximum of $25,000$ per year for each standard violated.

$250,000$ Penalty

The maximum criminal penalty for bad offenses involving the knowing disclosure of PHI.

Family Unit

Individuals related through blood, marriage, law, or conception, or who are cohabitating partners.

Self-Declaration of Income

The applicant's own statement of income and expenses, which is acceptable for determination but may be verified.

DH $1032E$ Validity

Valid for one year from the date the form was last completed, provided there are no financial or insurance changes.

Health/Dental Insurance Ineligibility

If a patient has insurance for the treatment being sought, they are ineligible for the VHCPP.

Medicaid Provider Unavailability

The condition under which a patient with an active Medicaid number may be eligible for VHCPP services.

Student Family Member

A student age $18$-$21$ living at home who is considered a family member for income determination.

Gross Earned Income

Wages, tips, and salaries from all current employment for the last $4$ weeks before deductions.

Gross Unearned Income

Monies from sources like child support, Social Security, unemployment, or alimony received in the last $4$ weeks.

Federal Poverty Level (FPL) Threshold

Total income must be equal to or less than $300\%$ of the amount listed in the FPL for the family size.

Section $3$ Budget Computation

Specific steps taken to determine eligibility if a patient's income exceeds $300\%$ of the FPL.

Employed Person Deduction

A deduction of $90$ for each employed member in the family unit during budget computation.

Childcare Deduction (Age $2$+)

A monthly expense deduction up to $175$ for each child age two or older.

Childcare Deduction (Under Age $2$)

A monthly expense deduction up to $200$ for each child under two years of age.

Child Support Deduction

A monthly deduction of the actual amount of child support received, up to $50$ total.

Total Net Income

The final income figure calculated after deductions in Section $3$ to determine eligibility against the FPL.

DH $1032$

The Patient Referral Form required for each client referred to a contracted health care provider.

Referral Validity

A referral form remains valid for the initial visit and all follow-up visits for the same condition with the same provider.

Ancillary Providers

Specialists like pathologists, radiologists, or anesthesiologists who may be included on the referral form.

Section $766.1115$, Florida Statutes

The statute under which ancillary providers must be contracted to have status as an agent of the state.

Original Signatures

The requirement for the Patient Referral Form; 'signature on file' is not an acceptable alternative.

Social Security Number Requirement

A social security number is not required for a client/patient to be referred.

Primary Medical Complaint

Information that must be documented in the 'Notes' section of the Patient Referral Form.

Authorized Referring Person

A DOH employee or qualified volunteer who signs the referral form; the volunteer health care provider may NOT sign in this capacity.

Estimated Value of Health Care Provided

The value representing what a self-pay patient would be charged for the rendered services.

Distribution of Referral (Original)

Sent to the provider and later returned to the referring source to be maintained in the medical/dental record.

Distribution of Referral (Copy $1$)

The copy provided to the client/patient at the time of the referral.

Demographic Information

Information including name, address, telephone number, and social security number used for identification.

Case Management

A service for which the Department of Health may use or disclose PHI without specific consent.

Inspector General and Auditor General

State officials permitted to conduct investigations and audits involving PHI without written authorization.

Vital Statistics

A public health purpose for which PHI can be disclosed as allowed by law.

Licensed Health Care Professional Review

The process a patient can request if they are denied access to inspect their PHI.

Right to Correct PHI

A written request a patient can make to amend inaccurate or incomplete health information.

April $14$, $2003$

The date before which disclosures are not included in the summary of disclosures provided to a patient.

$180$ Days

The timeframe following a known privacy violation within which a complaint must be filed.

July $1$, $2013$

The effective date of the Notice of Privacy Practices mentioned in Appendix A.

Family Size $1$ (FPL $300\%$)

The monthly income threshold of $3,912$ according to the $2025$ guidelines.

Family Size $4$ (FPL $300\%$)

The monthly income threshold of $8,037$ according to the $2025$ guidelines.

Family Size $8$ (FPL $300\%$)

The monthly income threshold of $13,539$ according to the $2025$ guidelines.

Additional Person FPL Increase

An add-on of $1,374$ for each additional person over a family size of $10$.

Tort Recovery Limit (Per Person)

A sum not to exceed $200,000$ for a claim or judgment by any one person against the state.

Tort Recovery Limit (Per Incident)

A total sum not to exceed $300,000$ for all claims arising out of the same occurrence.

Attorney Fee Cap

No attorney may charge or collect fees in excess of $25\%$ of any judgment or settlement in VHCPP-related tort actions.

Claim Presentation Window

A claimant must present a claim in writing to the agency and Department of Financial Services within $3$ years after it accrues.

Wrongful Death Claim Window

A claimant must present the claim in writing to the Department of Financial Services within $2$ years after it accrues.

Final Disposition Timeframe

The Department of Financial Services has $6$ months to make a final disposition of a claim before it is deemed denied.

Medical Malpractice Denial Timeframe

Failure to make final disposition of a claim within $90$ days is deemed a final denial for these specific actions.

Adverse Witness

The status an officer, employee, or agent holds in a tort action for injury or damage resulting from scope-of-employment acts.

Wanton and Willful Disregard

A standard of behavior (along with bad faith or malicious purpose) that can lead to personal liability for an agent of the state.

DH $150-741$

The document reference number for the Notice of Privacy Practices dated $09/13$.

DH $1032E$ ($12/14$)

The specific version date and ID of the Volunteer Health Care Provider Program Eligibility Form.

Self-Employment Net Income Calculation

Gross income minus employee expenses, building payments, utilities, or advertising, excluding personal expenses.

Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA)

A category of income that is NOT included in the Gross Unearned Income calculation.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

Payments that are excluded from the family total income calculation during eligibility determination.

Agent of the State

A status granted to providers ensuring they are entitled to liability damage limitations under Florida law.

Department of Financial Services

The state department that assists agencies in the adjustment and settlement of tort claims.

Legislature Report

The method by which portions of judgments exceeding $200,000$ or $300,000$ are handled for potential payment.

Statute of Limitations Tolling

The pausing of the time limit for medical malpractice or wrongful death actions while the agency reviews the claim.

$30$ Days to Plead

The amount of time the head of an agency or the Department of Financial Services has to plead after process is served.

Volunteer Firefighter

Specifically included in the legal definition of an 'employee' under Section $768.28$, Florida Statutes.

Nonprofit Independent College/University

Included as an 'officer, employee or agent' when providing patient services through an accredited medical school per statute.

Christopher P. Gainous

The Supervisor of Volunteer Health Services who compiled the $2025$ Federal Poverty Guidelines.

Bureau of Community Health Assessment

The bureau within the Florida Department of Health responsible for compiling the FPL guidelines for VHCPP.

$$(s), (l), (g), (aq)$$

State symbols used in chemical formulas, though primarily listed here as a formatting requirement.

$dm^3$ and $cm^3$

Units required for volume measurements in calculations, if applicable.

DHHS

The Department of Health and Human Services, responsible for HIPAA investigation and compliance.

Psychotherapy Notes

Specifically protected PHI that requires written authorization for disclosure to third parties for marketing.

Eligibility Form Section $1$ Question

'Does the client/patient have insurance that covers the health or dental condition?'

Eligibility Form Section $2$ Income Totaling

The instruction to 'Add earned and unearned income to determine total'.