HIPAA Privacy Policy for Junewell Counseling
At Junewell Counseling, we are committed to safeguarding the privacy of your health information. This notice outlines how we handle your Protected Health Information (PHI) under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and informs you of your rights and choices regarding your information.
Your Protected Health Information (PHI)
PHI includes information that identifies you and relates to your physical or mental health, healthcare services you receive, or payment for those services. This notice explains how we may use or disclose your PHI and your rights related to that information.
How We Use and Disclose Your PHI
We may use or disclose your PHI for the following purposes:
Treatment: We use your PHI to coordinate and provide your care, including consultations with other healthcare providers.
Payment: We use and disclose your PHI to bill and receive payment for the healthcare services provided to you.
Healthcare Operations: We use PHI for business operations such as quality improvement, staff training, and administrative tasks.
Other Uses and Disclosures: We may disclose PHI for other specific purposes without your authorization, such as public health reporting, responding to legal requests, or in cases of abuse or neglect.
Your Rights
You have specific rights under HIPAA regarding your PHI:
Right to Inspect and Copy: You have the right to access and request copies of your PHI. We may charge a reasonable fee for copying and sending your records.
Right to Amend: If you believe your PHI is incorrect or incomplete, you may request an amendment. We may deny your request under certain circumstances (e.g., if the information is accurate).
Right to an Accounting of Disclosures: You can request a list of certain disclosures of your PHI that we have made for purposes other than treatment, payment, or healthcare operations.
Right to Request Confidential Communications: You may ask that we contact you in a specific way (e.g., only through mail) or send information to a different address to ensure privacy.
Right to Request Restrictions: You may request limitations on how your PHI is used or disclosed for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations. While we will consider your request, we are not required to agree to it unless it involves restricting information shared with your health plan when you pay for services out of pocket.
Right to a Paper Copy: You may request a paper copy of this privacy policy at any time, even if you agreed to receive it electronically.
Your Choices
You have some choices in how we use and share your information. If you have a preference for the way we communicate or use your PHI, let us know. While certain uses and disclosures are mandatory or permitted without your explicit consent, other uses require your authorization:
In Cases of Marketing and Fundraising: We will only share your PHI for marketing or fundraising purposes with your written consent.
In Case of Psychotherapy Notes: These notes are treated with extra privacy and will not be disclosed without your explicit written authorization, except in certain limited circumstances.
For Family and Friends: You have the right to choose who can receive your health information, such as family members or close friends. You may also object to disclosures of PHI in certain situations.
Our Responsibilities
We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your PHI.
We will notify you promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your PHI.
We will not use or share your information other than as described here unless you tell us we can in writing. If you provide permission, you may revoke it at any time.
How We Protect Your Information
Junewell Counseling takes reasonable steps to protect your PHI through administrative, physical, and technical safeguards. We limit access to your information to only those employees and partners who need it for legitimate business or healthcare purposes.
Changes to This Notice
We reserve the right to change this notice at any time. Changes will apply to PHI we already have and any PHI we receive in the future. Any significant changes will be posted on our website, and we will provide you with a revised notice if required.
Complaints and Questions
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you can file a complaint with us or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
For more information, please visit: www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/noticepp.html