HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices

Amy Richter Nutrition, LLC is committed to protecting the privacy of your health information. This Notice of Privacy Practices explains how we may use and disclose your protected health information (PHI), your rights concerning that information, and our legal responsibilities under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

This notice applies to health information created, received, maintained, or transmitted by Amy Richter Nutrition in connection with providing healthcare services.

If you have questions about this notice or wish to exercise your privacy rights, please contact our Privacy Officer using the information at the end of this document.

Your Rights

You have certain rights regarding your health information. We are responsible for helping you exercise these rights as required by law.

Access Your Health Information

You may request to inspect or receive an electronic or paper copy of your medical records and other health information we maintain about you.

We will generally provide the requested information within 30 days, subject to applicable legal requirements and permitted extensions. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee where allowed by law.

Request Corrections

You may request an amendment to health information you believe is incorrect or incomplete.

We may deny a request in certain circumstances, but we will explain the reason in writing, generally within 60 days.

Request Confidential Communications

You may ask us to contact you in a particular way or at a particular address.

For example, you may request communication through the secure client portal, at a designated phone number, or by another reasonable method.

We will accommodate reasonable requests.

Request Restrictions

You may ask us to limit how we use or disclose your health information for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations.

We are not generally required to agree to these requests. However, if you pay for a healthcare service in full out of pocket and request that we not disclose information about that service to your health insurer for payment or healthcare operations, we must honor that request unless disclosure is required by law.

Request an Accounting of Disclosures

You may request an accounting of certain disclosures of your health information made during the six years preceding your request.

This accounting generally excludes disclosures for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations, along with certain other disclosures permitted by law.

One accounting within a 12-month period is provided without charge. Additional requests may be subject to a reasonable, cost-based fee.

Obtain a Copy of This Notice

You may request a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you previously agreed to receive it electronically.

Designate a Personal Representative

If another person has legal authority to act on your behalf, such as through a valid healthcare power of attorney or guardianship, that person may exercise your privacy rights as permitted by law.

We may request documentation verifying that authority.

File a Privacy Complaint

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with Amy Richter Nutrition or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights.

We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

Your Choices

In certain circumstances, you may tell us how you would like your health information to be shared.

For example, you may express preferences about sharing information with family members, close friends, or others involved in your care or payment for your care.

If you cannot communicate your preferences, we may share relevant information when permitted by law and when we believe doing so is in your best interest.

We may also disclose information when necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.

Uses That Generally Require Written Authorization

We generally must obtain your written authorization before:

• Using or disclosing your health information for marketing purposes, except where an exception applies.
• Selling your protected health information.
• Using or disclosing psychotherapy notes, if applicable, except where permitted by law.
• Making other uses or disclosures that require authorization under HIPAA or applicable law.

You may revoke an authorization in writing at any time, except to the extent we have already acted in reliance on it.

We do not sell patient health information.

How We May Use and Disclose Your Health Information

HIPAA permits us to use and disclose health information for certain purposes without obtaining a separate written authorization. Other disclosures may require your permission or be subject to additional legal restrictions.

Treatment

We may use your health information to provide nutrition counseling, assess your needs, develop care plans, monitor your progress, and coordinate treatment.

We may share relevant information with other healthcare professionals involved in your care, such as referring physicians, specialists, or therapists.

Example: With appropriate coordination, we may send a nutrition assessment or progress report to your referring physician.

As part of our routine onboarding process, we may ask you to identify healthcare providers with whom you would like us to coordinate care and complete a Release of Information form. HIPAA generally permits disclosures for treatment without separate authorization, although additional restrictions may apply.

Payment

We may use and disclose your health information to obtain payment for services.

This may include verifying insurance eligibility, submitting electronic claims, responding to insurer requests, processing payments, and resolving billing questions.

Example: We may submit your diagnosis, service information, and other required details to your health insurance company for reimbursement.

Healthcare Operations

We may use and disclose health information as permitted by law to operate and manage our practice.

These activities may include maintaining records, evaluating and improving services, managing administrative operations, conducting compliance activities, and working with service providers that support our practice.

Example: We may use information in your record to review the quality and coordination of your nutrition care.

Business Associates

We may work with third-party service providers that perform functions involving protected health information on our behalf, including electronic health records, technology services, and certain administrative functions.

When required by HIPAA, we enter into Business Associate Agreements that establish appropriate safeguards and restrictions on the use and disclosure of protected health information.

Other Uses and Disclosures Permitted or Required by Law

Under certain circumstances, we may use or disclose health information without your written authorization for purposes such as:

• Public health and safety: Reporting information to public health authorities, responding to certain safety concerns, or reporting suspected abuse or neglect when permitted or required by law.
• Health oversight: Cooperating with legally authorized audits, investigations, inspections, or regulatory activities.
• Legal requirements: Complying with applicable federal or state laws.
• Judicial and administrative proceedings: Responding to lawful court orders, subpoenas, or other legal processes when applicable requirements are satisfied.
• Law enforcement: Providing information for legally permitted law enforcement purposes.
• Workers’ compensation: Disclosing information as authorized by applicable workers’ compensation laws.
• Research: Using or disclosing information for research when HIPAA requirements are satisfied.
• Decedents: Making disclosures to coroners, medical examiners, funeral directors, or organ procurement organizations when permitted by law.
• Special government functions: Making disclosures for certain legally authorized government activities.

Additional restrictions may apply to particular categories of health information under federal or state law.

Substance Use Disorder Records

Certain substance use disorder treatment records are subject to additional federal confidentiality protections under 42 CFR Part 2.

To the extent that we receive or maintain records protected by Part 2, we will comply with applicable restrictions on their use and disclosure.

In particular, Part 2 records generally may not be used or disclosed in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceedings against a patient without the patient’s written consent or a qualifying court order accompanied by a subpoena or other legal mandate, as applicable.

Other requirements may apply to Part 2 records, including special protections relating to certain disclosures and communications.

Communications and Patient Portal

Amy Richter Nutrition primarily uses a secure electronic health record (EHR) system for clinical documentation, patient records, and communication about nutrition care.

Our business phone may be used for appointment reminders, scheduling, and other administrative matters.

We may also communicate by email when appropriate, including responding to patient inquiries or communicating with former patients. We use reasonable safeguards and honor applicable patient rights concerning confidential communications.

Patients may request alternative communication methods as permitted by law.

Our Responsibilities

Amy Richter Nutrition is required by law to:

• Maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information.
• Notify you following a breach of unsecured protected health information when notification is required by law.
• Provide you with this Notice of Privacy Practices and follow the privacy practices described in the notice currently in effect.
• Use and disclose your health information only as permitted or required by law, or as otherwise authorized by you.
• Comply with applicable federal and state privacy protections.

If you authorize a use or disclosure of your health information, you may revoke that authorization in writing, subject to applicable legal limitations.

Changes to This Notice

We may revise this Notice of Privacy Practices as our practices or applicable legal requirements change.

Any revised notice may apply to health information we already maintain, as well as information received in the future.

The current notice will be available on our website and upon request.

Questions and Complaints

If you have questions about this notice, would like to exercise your privacy rights, or wish to file a complaint, please contact:

Amy Richter Nutrition, LLC
Privacy Officer: Amy Richter
Phone: [Business phone number]
Email: [email protected]
Mailing address: [Business mailing address]

You may also file a complaint with:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office for Civil Rights
200 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20201
Phone: 1-877-696-6775
Website: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/

You will not be penalized or retaliated against for filing a complaint.