HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices

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.

This notice explains how Anchor Point Family Wellness, PLLC (the practice, we, or us) handles protected health information, including information about your care and payment for services. It also explains your privacy rights and how to exercise them. Contact our Privacy Officer with questions or requests.

Your Rights

Inspect and obtain your records

You may ask in writing to inspect or obtain a paper or electronic copy of health information in the records we use to make decisions about you, including treatment and billing records. We will provide copies within 10 working days after receiving your written request, as required by Tennessee law. We will provide the requested format if readily producible, or agree with you on another readable format. A summary will replace a copy only if you agree in advance to the summary and any fee. We may charge only a reasonable, cost-based fee allowed by applicable law. If we deny access as allowed by law, we will explain the reason in writing and any right to review. HIPAA excludes certain records from its access right, including separately maintained psychotherapy notes; ordinary progress notes are not automatically psychotherapy notes.

Request a correction

You may ask us in writing to amend health information you believe is incorrect or incomplete. Explain the change and why you are requesting it. We will respond within 60 days. If the law permits an extension, we will notify you in writing of the reason and response date. We may deny a request as permitted by law and will explain our decision and how you may submit a statement of disagreement.

Request confidential communications

You may ask us to contact you in a specific way or at a different location, such as using a particular telephone number or mailing address. We will accommodate reasonable requests. You do not have to explain why you are making the request.

Request limits on use or disclosure

You may ask us to limit information used or disclosed for treatment, payment, or health care operations, or shared with people involved in your care. We are generally not required to agree. However, if you pay for a service in full out of pocket and ask us not to disclose information about that service to your health plan for payment or health care operations, we must honor that request unless disclosure is required by law.

More Rights on Your Choices

Receive an accounting of disclosures

You may request a list of certain disclosures made during the six years before your request, or a shorter period you specify. The list generally excludes disclosures for treatment, payment, health care operations, those you authorized, and other exceptions allowed by law. One accounting in any 12-month period is free. For additional requests, we may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee after telling you the amount and giving you an opportunity to withdraw or modify the request.

Obtain a paper copy of this notice

You may request a paper copy at any time, even if you agreed to receive this notice electronically. The current notice is also available on our website and at our office.

Have an authorized person act for you

A person with legal authority to make health care decisions for you may exercise rights on your behalf to the extent of that authority. We will verify the person’s authority and follow applicable rules, including rules concerning minors, confidential services, and situations involving abuse, neglect, or danger.

File a privacy complaint

You may complain to our Privacy Officer using the contact information at the end of this notice. You may also complain to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, at https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/index.html, by calling 1-800-368-1019, or by writing to 200 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20201. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

Your Choices

People involved in your care and disaster relief

Subject to applicable confidentiality laws, we may share information directly relevant to a family member’s, friend’s, or other person’s involvement in your care or payment for care if you agree, do not object after an opportunity to do so, or applicable law otherwise permits it. We may share limited information for disaster relief. If you cannot express your preference, we may use professional judgment to share information in your best interests when legally permitted. You may tell us whom you want involved and what information may be shared.

Uses that require written authorization

We require your written authorization for marketing uses or disclosures that require authorization under HIPAA and for most uses or disclosures of separately maintained psychotherapy notes. Exceptions for psychotherapy notes are limited by law. We do not sell your protected health information. A sale would require your written authorization under HIPAA and must also be permitted by applicable state law. Uses or disclosures not described in this notice will occur only with your written authorization unless otherwise permitted or required by law.

How We May Use and Share Your Information

The following permissions are subject to applicable Tennessee confidentiality and privilege laws and other federal protections. When a law provides greater protection or requires your consent, we follow that law. Permission under HIPAA alone does not override those protections. We limit information as required by law.

Treatment

We may use your information to provide and coordinate care. For example, your clinician may use your history to develop a treatment plan or coordinate care with another treating provider, subject to any applicable consent requirements.

Payment

We may use information to collect payment and administer your account. For example, we may prepare an invoice or a superbill you request for reimbursement. The practice does not routinely bill insurance directly. Any disclosure to an insurer must comply with applicable law and any restriction we are required to honor.

Health care operations

We may use information to manage the practice, improve care, train staff, and perform quality or compliance reviews. For example, we may review records to evaluate the quality of services. Contractors helping us with functions such as record systems or billing must have required agreements and safeguards when they act as our business associates.

Public health and safety

When permitted or required by law, we may report suspected abuse or neglect, certain diseases, adverse reactions, or product problems; support public health activities; and disclose information to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to a person’s or the public’s health or safety. We follow applicable reporting requirements and confidentiality limits.

Research

We may use or disclose information for research only when legally permitted, such as with your authorization or an approved waiver satisfying applicable safeguards. Information properly de-identified under HIPAA is not protected health information, but other applicable restrictions may still apply.

Legal requirements and oversight

We may disclose information when required by law, including to HHS to determine compliance with federal privacy requirements. When legally permitted, we may disclose information for health oversight activities such as audits, licensing reviews, and investigations; workers’ compensation; specified law enforcement purposes; and authorized military, national security, protective services, or correctional activities. These permissions are limited by law and do not give agencies unrestricted access to your records.

Court proceedings and legal requests

We may disclose information in response to a court order or other legal process only when all applicable requirements are met. A subpoena alone does not automatically authorize disclosure of confidential therapy records. We evaluate required notice or protective-order assurances, applicable privileges, and any additional consent or court-order requirements before disclosing. A court-ordered disclosure is limited to the information the order authorizes.

Death and donation

When legally permitted, we may disclose information to coroners, medical examiners, funeral directors, and organizations involved in organ, eye, or tissue donation, as needed for their lawful duties.

Additional Protections and Our Responsibilities

Special Confidentiality Protections

Mental health information and Tennessee law

Tennessee laws may provide additional confidentiality and privilege protections for mental health services and communications with licensed professionals. We obtain consent or authorization when required and follow applicable exceptions, including mandatory reporting and qualifying legal orders. The rules for a parent’s or guardian’s access to a minor’s records depend on the service, legal authority, and applicable law. Ask our Privacy Officer about protections that apply to your information.

Protected substance use disorder records

If we receive or maintain substance use disorder records protected by 42 CFR Part 2, we follow those additional requirements. These protections do not apply automatically to every record mentioning substance use. Uses and disclosures of protected Part 2 records for treatment, payment, and health care operations require a consent or another permission allowed by Part 2. A qualifying consent may permit future uses and disclosures for those purposes, subject to the law and your right to revoke consent.

Protected Part 2 records, or testimony about their contents, may not be used or disclosed in a civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceeding against you without your specific written consent or a qualifying court order issued after notice and an opportunity to be heard for you or the record holder. A court order authorizing use or disclosure must be accompanied by a subpoena or other legal requirement compelling disclosure. A general consent for treatment, payment, and health care operations does not authorize use in proceedings against you.

Information disclosed to others

Information disclosed to a recipient may be disclosed again and may no longer be protected by HIPAA if the recipient is not subject to HIPAA. Other laws, including Part 2 or state confidentiality laws, may continue to limit use or disclosure. We follow applicable safeguards when making a disclosure.

Changes to This Notice

We reserve the right to change our privacy practices and this notice as permitted by law, and to apply revised practices to information we already maintain as well as information received in the future. A revised notice will show its effective date. We will make it available at our office, on our website, and upon request.

Contact Our Privacy Officer

Brooke Widmer, Director of Practice Administration
Anchor Point Family Wellness, PLLC
3310 West End Avenue, Suite 575
Nashville, TN 37203-1093
Phone: 615-803-9840 – ask for the Privacy Officer
Email: info@anchorpointfamilywellness.com
Website: www.anchorpointfamilywellness.com

To exercise a right or submit a complaint, contact the Privacy Officer. We will explain any written request or identification needed to process your request. Please do not include detailed health information in an ordinary email.