Notice of Privacy Practices
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW PSYCHOLOGICAL AND MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
I. Purpose
This notice of Privacy Practices describes how I may use and disclose your protected health information to carry out treatment, payment or health care operations and for other purposes that are permitted or required by law. This notice also describes your rights regarding health information I maintain about you and a brief description of how you may exercise these rights. This Notice further states the obligations I have to protect your health information.
Protected Health Information (PHI) means health information (including identifying information about you) I have obtained from you or received from health care providers, health plans, your employer or a health care clearinghouse. It may include information about your past, present or future physical or mental health conditions, the provision of your health care, and payment for your health care services.
I am required by law to maintain the privacy of your health information and to provide you with this notice of my legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your health information.
Please be aware that should you choose to contact me through use of email, voicemail, texting, or use of video conferencing, while every effort is made to protect your confidentiality, certain inherent risks apply. I am not liable for breaches of confidentiality beyond human control in these areas, so please use caution in the information you choose to disclose using these methods. I do utilize a HIPPA compliant service for any telehealth sessions.
II. Ways I May Use and Disclose Your Health Information
I will use and disclose your health information as describe in each category listed below. For each category, I will explain what I mean in general, but not describe all specific uses or disclosures.
A. Uses and Disclosures for Treatment, Payment and Operations
1. For treatment. I will use and disclose your health information without your authorization to provide your health care and any related services. I will also use and disclose your health information to coordinate and manage your health care and related services. I may also disclose your health information in a clinical supervision/ consultation meeting. For example, I may discuss your case with another mental health clinician for the purpose of clinical consultation.
2. For Payment. I may use or disclose your health information without your authorization so that the treatment and services you receive are billed to, and payment is collected from, your health plan or other third party payer. For example, I may disclose your health information to permit your health plan:
§ To make a determination of eligibility or coverage for health insurance;
§ To review your services to determine if they were medially necessary, appropriately
authorized or certified in advance of your care;
§ To review your services for purposed of utilization review, to ensure the appropriateness of
your care or to justify the charges for your care; or
§ To determine if the plan will approve additional mental health sessions.
3. For Health Care Operations. I may use and disclose health information about you without your authorization for my health care operations (activities that relate to performance and operation of practice). This is necessary to ensure that you receive quality care. This includes business-related matters such as audits, licensing and administrative services. I may also provide your health information to other health care providers or to your health plan to assist them in performing their own health care operations. I will do so only if you have or have had a relationship with the other provider or health plan. I may also use and disclose your health information to contact you to remind you of your appointment and to notify you when an appointment is canceled or rescheduled.
B. Other Permitted/Required Uses and Disclosures of Your Health Information
I may use or disclose your protected health information for reasons including but not limited to the following:
§ For public health purposes such as reporting child or elder abuse or neglect;
§ For mental health oversight activities (for example, audits, inspections or investigations of
administration and management);
§ In response to a court order, judicial, administrative or other legal proceedings;
§ For law enforcement purposes;
§ To prevent a serious threat to health or safety of self or others;
§ To military authorities if you are a member of the armed services;
§ To national security and intelligence agencies as authorized by law;
§ To comply with Workers’ Compensation or other similar laws; and
§ When federal, state or local law otherwise requires disclosure.
C. Uses and Disclosures of Your Health Information with Your Permission
Uses and disclosures not described in the “Ways I May Use and Disclose Your Health Information” (section II) of this Notice will generally only be made with your written permission, called an “authorization.” You have the right to revoke an authorization at any time in writing. If you revoke your authorization, I will not make any further uses or disclosures of your health information under that authorization, unless I have already taken action relying upon the uses or disclosures you have previously authorized. In some instances revocation of your authorization may result in suspension of treatment.
III. Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information
Upon written request, you have the right to:
§ Inspect and copy health information used to make decisions about your care. This does not
include psychotherapy notes. There will be a fee for the cost of reviewing, copying, mailing
and supplies associated with your request. I may deny your request in certain limited
circumstances.
§ Amend any health information used to make decisions about your care. To request an
amendment you must state why you believe the information is in correct or inaccurate. I am
not required to agree to a requested amendment, for example, if what you are requesting to
be amended is already accurate and complete.
§ An accounting of Disclosure I have made of your health information. An accounting is a list
of disclosures. But this list will not include certain disclosure of your health information, for
example, those I have made for purposes of treatment, payment, and health care operations.
§ Requested Restrictions on certain uses or disclosures of your Protected Health information. I
am not required to agree to a requested restriction. If I do agree, I will honor your request
unless the restricted health information is needed to provide you with emergency treatment.
§ Request Confidential Communications; that is, you have the right to request that I
communicate with you about your health care only in a certain location or through a certain
method.
You have the right to obtain a paper copy of this Notice of Privacy Practices at any time.
IV. Duties Regarding the Use and Disclosure of Your PHI
I am committed to maintaining your privacy and am required:
§ By law to maintain the privacy of PHI and to provide you with notice of my legal duties and
privacy practices with respect to PHI; and
§ To abide by the terms of my Notice of Privacy Practices currently in effect.
I reserve the right to change the terms of this privacy notice, and have such changes be effective for all PHI that is maintained. I will have available a copy of this Notice of Privacy Practices at my office.
VI. How to File a Complaint Regarding the Use and Disclosure of PHI
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with me or with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. All complaints must be in writing. If you choose to file a complaint, I will not retaliate against you for exercising your right to file a complaint.
VII. Contact Information
Resilience Family Counseling, PLLC
Leslie Downs Mullen, MS, LMFT, PLLC
1450 Boyson Rd. Bldg C, Suite 2B
Hiawatha, IA 52233
Ph: 319.294.9206
Fax: 319.294.6107
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