HIPPA Privacy Policy

HIPAA Privacy Policy
Effective Date: January 2025

Introduction

Crabapple Wellness is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your protected health information (PHI) in compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and applicable state laws. This HIPAA Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, and disclose your PHI, your rights regarding your health information, and how you can contact us with questions or concerns.

1. How We Use and Disclose Your Health Information

Crabapple Wellness may use and disclose your PHI for the following purposes:

A. Permitted Uses and Disclosures

We may use or share your PHI for the following reasons:

Treatment: We may use and share your PHI with doctors, nurses, or other healthcare providers involved in your care.
Payment: Your PHI may be used to process claims, obtain payment from insurance providers, or determine coverage.
Healthcare Operations: We may use your PHI for administrative, quality improvement, and operational purposes, including staff training and compliance monitoring.

B. Additional Uses and Disclosures

Required by Law: We may disclose your PHI when required by federal, state, or local laws.
Public Health and Safety: Your PHI may be shared with public health authorities for disease control, reporting abuse, or preventing serious threats to health or safety.
Law Enforcement and Legal Proceedings: We may provide PHI in response to court orders, subpoenas, or as required by law enforcement agencies.
Business Associates: We may disclose PHI to third-party service providers (e.g., billing companies or IT providers) who assist us in our healthcare operations, provided they agree to protect your PHI.

C. Uses and Disclosures Requiring Authorization

We will not use or disclose your PHI for the following purposes without your written authorization:

Marketing or selling your PHI
Most uses of psychotherapy notes
Any disclosures not described in this policy

You may revoke your authorization at any time by providing written notice to our office.

2. Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information

Under HIPAA, you have the following rights:

Right to Access: You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your PHI.
Right to Amend: You may request corrections to your PHI if you believe it is incorrect or incomplete.
Right to Request Restrictions: You can request restrictions on how your PHI is used or disclosed; however, we may not always be able to accommodate these requests.
Right to Confidential Communications: You can request that we communicate with you through specific methods or locations (e.g., email, phone, or mail).
Right to an Accounting of Disclosures: You may request a list of certain disclosures of your PHI made in the past six years.
Right to File a Complaint: If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you have the right to file a complaint with our office or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) without fear of retaliation.

3. How We Protect Your Information

Crabapple Wellness takes appropriate safeguards to protect your PHI, including:

Using secure electronic systems to store and transmit PHI
Training staff on HIPAA compliance
Implementing administrative, physical, and technical security measures

4. Changes to This Policy

We reserve the right to update this HIPAA Privacy Policy at any time. Any changes will be posted on our website with the updated effective date.

5. Contact Information

For questions about this policy, to exercise your rights, or to file a complaint, please contact:

Crabapple Wellness
Alpharetta
12705 Century Drive, Suite A
Alpharetta, GA 30009

admin@crabapple-wellness.com

If you wish to file a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, you may do so online at https://www.hhs.gov/ocr/ or by calling 1-800-368-1019.

By using our website and services, you acknowledge that you have read and understand this HIPAA Privacy Policy.