Counseling Yoga Meditation

Phone

707-494-7470/text.

Email Hannah

Notice of Privacy Policies

Notice of Privacy Policies

 

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.

 

Hannah Caratti, LMFT (the “Practice”) is committed to protecting your

privacy. The Practice is required by federal law to maintain the privacy

of Protected Health Information (“PHI”), which is information that

identifies or could be used to identify you. The Practice is required to

provide you with this Notice of Privacy Practices (this “Notice”), which

explains the Practice’s legal duties and privacy practices and your

rights regarding PHI that we collect and maintain.

 

 

YOUR RIGHTS

Your rights regarding PHI are explained below. To exercise these rights,

please submit a written request to the Practice at the address noted below.

 

To inspect and copy PHI.

• You can ask for an electronic or paper copy of PHI. The Practice

may charge you a reasonable fee.

• The Practice may deny your request if it believes the disclosure

will endanger your life or another person’s life. You may have a right

to have this decision reviewed.

 

To amend PHI.

• You can ask to correct PHI you believe is incorrect or incomplete.

The Practice may require you to make your request in writing and provide

a reason for the request.

• The Practice may deny your request. The Practice will send a

written explanation for the denial and allow you to submit a written

statement of disagreement.

 

To request confidential communications.

• You can ask the Practice to contact you in a specific way. The

Practice will say “yes” to all reasonable requests.

 

To limit what is used or shared.

• You can ask the Practice not to use or share PHI for treatment,

payment, or business operations. The Practice is not required to agree

if it would affect your care.

• If you pay for a service or health care item out-of-pocket in full,

you can ask the Practice not to share PHI with your health insurer.

• You can ask for the Practice not to share your PHI with family

members or friends by stating the specific restriction requested and to

whom you want the restriction to apply.

 

To obtain a list of those with whom your PHI has been shared.

• You can ask for a list, called an accounting, of the times your

health information has been shared.  You can receive one accounting

every 12 months at no charge, but you may be charged a reasonable fee if

you ask for one more frequently.

 

To receive a copy of this Notice.

• You can ask for a paper copy of this Notice, even if you agreed to

receive the Notice electronically.

 

To choose someone to act for you.

• If you have given someone medical power of attorney or if someone

is your legal guardian, that person can exercise your rights.

 

To file a complaint if you feel your rights are violated.

• You can file a complaint by contacting the Practice using the

following information:

Hannah Caratti, LMFT

2420 Grace Drive, Santa Rosa, CA 95404

Hannah Caratti, LMFT (privacy officer and licensed MFT)

707-494-7470

• You can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and

Human Services Office for Civil Rights by sending a letter to 200

Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201, calling

1-877-696-6775, or visiting www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/.

• The Practice will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

 

 

OUR USES AND DISCLOSURES

1. Routine Uses and Disclosures of PHI

The Practice is permitted under federal law to use and disclose PHI,

without your written authorization, for certain routine uses and

disclosures, such as those made for treatment, payment, and the

operation of our business. The Practice typically uses or shares your

health information in the following ways:

 

To treat you.

• The Practice can use and share PHI with other professionals who are

treating you.

• Example: Your primary care doctor asks about your mental health

treatment.

 

To run the health care operations.

• The Practice can use and share PHI to run the business, improve

your care, and contact you.

• Example: The Practice uses PHI to send you appointment reminders if

you choose.

 

To bill for your services.

• The Practice can use and share PHI to bill and get payment from

health plans or other entities.

• Example: The Practice gives PHI to your health insurance plan so it

will pay for your services.

 

2. Uses and Disclosures of PHI That May Be Made Without Your

Authorization or Opportunity to Object

The Practice may use or disclose PHI without your authorization or an

opportunity for you to object, including:

 

To help with public health and safety issues

• Public health: To prevent the spread of disease, assist in product

recalls, and report adverse reactions to medication.

• Required by the Secretary of Health and Human Services: We may be

required to disclose your PHI to the Secretary of Health and Human

Services to investigate or determine our compliance with the

requirements of the final rule on Standards for Privacy of Individually

Identifiable Health Information.

• Health oversight: For audits, investigations, and inspections by

government agencies that oversee the health care system, government

benefit programs, other government regulatory programs, and civil rights

laws.

• Serious threat to health or safety: To prevent a serious and

imminent threat.

• Abuse or Neglect: To report abuse, neglect, or domestic violence.

 

To comply with law, law enforcement, or other government requests

• Required by law: If required by federal, state or local law.

• Judicial and administrative proceedings:  To respond to a court

order, subpoena, or discovery request.

• Law enforcement: For law locate and identify you or disclose

information about a victim of a crime.

• Specialized Government Functions:  For military or national

security concerns, including intelligence, protective services for heads

of state, or your security clearance.

• National security and intelligence activities: For intelligence,

counterintelligence, protection of the President, other authorized

persons or foreign heads of state, for purpose of determining your own

security clearance and other national security activities authorized by law.

• Workers’ Compensation:  To comply with workers’ compensation laws

or support claims.

 

To comply with other requests

• Coroners and Funeral Directors: To perform their legally authorized

duties.

• Organ Donation: For organ donation or transplantation.

• Research: For research that has been approved by an institutional

review board.

• Inmates:  The Practice created or received your PHI in the course

of providing care.

• Business Associates: To organizations that perform functions,

activities or services on our behalf.

 

3. Uses and Disclosures of PHI That May Be Made With Your Authorization

or Opportunity to Object

Unless you object, the Practice may disclose PHI:

 

To your family, friends, or others if PHI directly relates to that

person’s involvement in your care.

 

If it is in your best interest because you are unable to state your

preference.

 

4. Uses and Disclosures of PHI Based Upon Your Written Authorization

The Practice must obtain your written authorization to use and/or

disclose PHI for the following purposes:

 

Marketing, sale of PHI, and psychotherapy notes.

 

You may revoke your authorization, at any time, by contacting the

Practice in writing, using the information above. The Practice will not

use or share PHI other than as described in Notice unless you give your

permission in writing.

 

 

OUR RESPONSIBILITIES

• The Practice is required by law to maintain the privacy and security

of PHI.

• The Practice is required to abide by the terms of this Notice

currently in effect. Where more stringent state or federal law governs

PHI, the Practice will abide by the more stringent law.

• The Practice reserves the right to amend Notice. All changes are

applicable to PHI collected and maintained by the Practice. Should the

Practice make changes, you may obtain a revised Notice by requesting a

copy from the Practice, using the information above, or by viewing a

copy on the website [www.counselingyogameditation.com].

• The Practice will inform you if PHI is compromised in a breach.

 

This Notice is effective on March 9th, 2022