Notice of Privacy Practices (HIPAA)

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.

Our commitment to your privacy

Whole Hearts Therapy is committed to protecting the privacy of your protected health information ("PHI") — information that may identify you and relates to your past, present, or future mental or physical health, your care, and payment for that care. We are required by law to maintain the privacy of your PHI, to provide you with this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices, and to abide by the terms of the notice currently in effect. Where federal and Colorado privacy laws differ, we follow the law that gives you greater protection. You have the right to a paper or electronic copy of this notice at any time.

How we may use and disclose your health information

For treatment

We may use your PHI to provide and coordinate your care, and may share it with other providers involved in your treatment when appropriate and permitted.

For payment

We may use and disclose your PHI to obtain payment for services — for example, to bill and collect from your insurance plan (such as Cigna, Aetna, Kaiser Permanente, UnitedHealthcare, or CCHA Medicaid) or from you.

For health care operations

We may use your PHI for operations such as quality assessment, staff supervision and training, and administrative functions necessary to run the practice.

Uses and disclosures that require your written authorization

Most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes, uses for marketing, and any sale of PHI require your written authorization. You may revoke an authorization in writing at any time, except to the extent we have already acted in reliance on it.

Other permitted or required disclosures

In certain limited situations, the law permits or requires us to use or disclose your PHI without your authorization, including:

When required by federal, state, or local law;
To avert a serious and imminent threat to your health or safety, or that of others;
To report suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence, as required by law;
For public health activities and health oversight (such as audits or licensure);
In response to a valid court order, subpoena, or other lawful legal process;
For workers' compensation and certain specialized government functions;
To business associates who perform services for us and are contractually bound to protect your PHI.

Your rights regarding your health information

Right to access — to inspect and obtain a copy of your PHI, with limited exceptions.
Right to request amendment — to ask us to correct information you believe is incorrect or incomplete.
Right to an accounting of disclosures — to request a list of certain disclosures we have made.
Right to request restrictions — to ask us to limit how we use or disclose your PHI.
Right to request confidential communications — to ask that we contact you in a specific way or at a specific location.
Right to a paper copy — to receive a paper copy of this notice upon request.
Right to be notified of a breach — to be notified if there is a breach of your unsecured PHI.
Right to revoke an authorization — to withdraw your written permission at any time, except to the extent we have already acted in reliance on it.

Telehealth

Because we provide services via Telehealth, we use technology platforms and communication tools that are configured to protect your PHI, and we maintain Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) with vendors who handle PHI on our behalf, as required by HIPAA.

Changes to this notice

We reserve the right to change this notice and to make the revised notice effective for PHI we already have as well as any we receive in the future. The current notice will be posted here, with its effective date.

Complaints

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us using the contact information below, or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights — by mail at 200 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, D.C. 20201, by phone at 1-877-696-6775, or online at hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints. You will not be penalized or retaliated against for filing a complaint.

Contact

To exercise any of your rights, or for questions about this notice, contact us at info@wholeheartstherapy.com or 303.588.4036.