HIPAA NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES (NPP) – ALIGN33 CHIROPRACTIC
Effective Date: January 1, 2023
Covered Entity: Align33 Chiropractic (“Align33,” “we,” “us,” or “our”)
Address: 18643 Devonshire Street, Northridge, CA 91324
Phone: (818) 932-5377
Email: [email protected]
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.
1) Our Responsibilities
We are required by law to:
Maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information (“PHI”).
Provide you with this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your PHI.
Follow the terms of the Notice currently in effect.
Notify you following a breach of unsecured PHI, as required by law.
2) How We May Use and Disclose Your PHI (Without Special Authorization)
Under HIPAA, we may use and disclose PHI for Treatment, Payment, and Health Care Operations (“TPO”).
A. Treatment
We may use and disclose your PHI to provide, coordinate, or manage your healthcare and related services.
Example: Sharing relevant information with another healthcare provider involved in your care.
B. Payment
We may use and disclose your PHI to bill and obtain payment for services and items you receive.
Example: Submitting information to a health plan for reimbursement, when applicable.
C. Health Care Operations
We may use and disclose your PHI for our operational, administrative, quality, and compliance activities.
Example: Quality assessment, internal audits, credentialing, training, and business planning.
D. Business Associates
We may share PHI with vendors (“business associates”) that perform services for us (e.g., billing, IT, secure record storage), and they are required to safeguard PHI under HIPAA and applicable agreements.
E. As Required by Law / Public Health and Safety Activities
We may disclose PHI when required to do so by federal, state, or local law; and for certain public health and safety purposes (such as reporting certain conditions, responding to lawful requests, preventing a serious threat, or complying with workers’ compensation laws), as permitted by HIPAA.
F. Health Oversight, Legal Proceedings, and Law Enforcement
We may disclose PHI to health oversight agencies, and in response to subpoenas/court orders or other lawful processes, consistent with HIPAA requirements.
G. Coroners, Medical Examiners, and Funeral Directors
We may disclose PHI as permitted to coroners/medical examiners and funeral directors.
3) Uses and Disclosures That Usually Require Your Written Authorization
In most cases, we will obtain your written authorization before using or disclosing PHI for:
-Marketing purposes (as defined by HIPAA), subject to limited exceptions (e.g., certain face-to-face communications).
-Disclosures that constitute a sale of PHI (HIPAA places strict limits on sale of PHI).
-Most uses/disclosures of psychotherapy notes (if applicable).
You may revoke an authorization at any time in writing, except to the extent we already acted in reliance on it.
4) Your Rights Regarding Your PHI
You have the following rights, subject to certain exceptions and conditions under HIPAA:
A. Right to Inspect and Obtain a Copy (Access Right)
You can ask to see or get a copy of your PHI in your designated record set.
We will provide the records in the form and format you request if readily producible (or as otherwise agreed). We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee as permitted by law.
B. Right to Request Correction/Amendment
You can ask us to correct PHI you believe is incorrect or incomplete. We may deny your request in certain circumstances, but we will provide a written explanation.
C. Right to Request Confidential Communications
You can ask us to contact you in a specific way (e.g., only at work, by mail, or at a different phone number). We will accommodate reasonable requests.
D. Right to Request Restrictions
You can ask us not to use or disclose certain PHI for treatment, payment, or operations. We are not required to agree to most requests; however, if we agree, we will follow the restriction (except in emergencies).
If applicable, you may request a restriction on disclosures to a health plan for payment/operations when you have paid out-of-pocket in full for the item/service, as permitted by HIPAA.
E. Right to an Accounting of Disclosures
You can ask for a list (“accounting”) of certain disclosures of your PHI for a specified time period, as permitted by HIPAA (excluding certain categories such as disclosures for treatment, payment, and operations).
F. Right to Receive a Paper Copy of This Notice
You can ask for a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you agreed to receive it electronically.
G. Right to Choose Someone to Act for You
If you have a legal guardian, power of attorney for healthcare, or other authorized personal representative, that person can exercise your rights and make choices about your PHI, as allowed by law.
5) Complaints
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may complain to us and/or to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”). Filing a complaint will not affect your care.
To complain to Align33:
Align33 Chiropractic
18643 Devonshire Street, Northridge, CA 91324
(818) 932-5377
[email protected]
To complain to HHS OCR:
You may file a complaint online through the OCR Complaint Portal or via other methods described by HHS.
6) Changes to This Notice
We may change this Notice, and the change will apply to all PHI we maintain. We will post the current Notice on our website and make copies available upon request.
7) Website Privacy Policy (Cross-Link)
This NPP applies to PHI handled by Align33. For information about how our public-facing website collects and uses personal information, cookies, analytics, and SMS program privacy terms, please review our Website Privacy Policy:
Website Privacy Policy: https://www.align33.com/discla...