Notice of Privacy Practices

Yes. You may ask to inspect or obtain an electronic or paper copy of health and billing information maintained about you and used to make decisions about your care. LuminaThera will ordinarily provide access, a copy, or a summary within 30 days. A reasonable, cost-based fee may apply as permitted by law.

Access may be denied in limited circumstances. When the law gives you a right to review a denial, the response will explain how. Psychotherapy notes, information prepared for legal proceedings, and certain other records may have different access rules.

Yes. You may ask to amend health information you believe is incorrect or incomplete. The request may be denied in circumstances allowed by law, but LuminaThera will explain a denial in writing, ordinarily within 60 days. You may have the right to submit a statement of disagreement.

Yes. You may ask to be contacted in a particular way or at a different address, such as using a particular phone number or not leaving voicemail. LuminaThera will agree to reasonable requests. Tell the practice if a communication method could put you in danger.

You may ask LuminaThera not to use or disclose certain protected health information for treatment, payment, or health care operations. The practice is generally not required to agree and may decline if a restriction could affect care or legal and operational duties. If LuminaThera agrees, the restriction will be followed except for emergency treatment or another legal exception.

If you pay in full out of pocket for a specific service or item, you may ask that information about it not be disclosed to a health plan for payment or health care operations. LuminaThera will agree unless the law requires disclosure. Make the request before information is sent and before or when payment is made.

You may request an accounting of certain disclosures made during the six years before your request. The accounting does not include every disclosure and generally excludes treatment, payment, health care operations, disclosures you authorized, and other categories excluded by law.

One accounting in a 12-month period is provided without charge. A reasonable, cost-based fee may apply to another accounting in the same period after you are told the cost and may withdraw or change the request.

If a person has legal authority to act as your personal representative, that person may exercise rights and make choices about your information to the extent allowed by law. LuminaThera will verify the person’s identity and authority before acting.

LuminaThera will notify you as required by law if a breach may have compromised unsecured protected health information. You may complain to the Privacy and Security Officer or to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights. LuminaThera will not retaliate for asking a question, exercising a right, or filing a complaint.

OCR complaints may be filed at hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint, by mail to 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201, or by phone at 1-877-696-6775.

You may tell LuminaThera whether to disclose relevant information to a family member, friend, partner, caregiver, or another person involved in your care or payment. If you cannot express a preference during an emergency, relevant information may be disclosed when professional judgment and law allow and the disclosure is believed to be in your best interest.

LuminaThera does not maintain a hospital or facility directory.

Written authorization is generally required before using or disclosing protected health information for most marketing, selling protected health information, using or disclosing most psychotherapy notes maintained at a clinician’s discretion, or another purpose not described in this Notice and not otherwise allowed by law.

You may revoke an authorization in writing. Revocation does not undo action already taken in reliance on it.

LuminaThera supports access-related fundraising, including communications connected with the Thank You Life fund. LuminaThera may contact you about fundraising as permitted by law, and you may ask not to be contacted again for that purpose.

General fundraising sent to a public newsletter list follows the Website Privacy Policy when it is not based on protected health information. Psychotherapy notes and clinical details will not be used for fundraising without authorization required by law.

Protected health information may be used and disclosed to professionals to provide, coordinate, or manage care. With appropriate permission or another legal basis, this can include communication with a therapist, prescriber, primary-care clinician, pharmacy, or another provider involved in care.

Information may be used or disclosed to obtain payment, administer payment plans, create billing records, provide documentation you request, or address payment questions. LuminaThera is private pay and does not bill insurance. A superbill may be provided at your request. Payment activities can include invoices, receipts, payment processors, accounting, collections, and disclosures you request.

Information may be used or disclosed for quality review, care coordination, supervision, training, licensing and credentialing, audits, legal and compliance work, administration, security, and communication about care. Business associates handling protected health information must protect it under a written Business Associate Agreement when HIPAA requires one.

Contact information may be used for appointment reminders, scheduling, treatment alternatives, or health-related services relevant to care. You may request a different communication method.

Information may be disclosed for legally authorized public-health activities, reporting required or permitted by law, and preventing or reducing a serious threat to a person’s or the public’s health or safety.

Required reports may involve suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, or domestic violence. When the legal standard for a threat of harm is met, steps may include emergency evaluation or hospitalization, a safety plan, consultation, law enforcement, warning a reasonably identifiable potential victim or guardian, or contacting another person able to reduce danger. Only information reasonably necessary for the protective purpose will be disclosed.

Information may be disclosed to a health-oversight agency for authorized audits, investigations, inspections, licensure, credentialing, or disciplinary proceedings, and when federal, state, or local law requires disclosure.

Information may also be disclosed in response to a qualifying court or administrative order, subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process. Mental-health records and privileged communications may receive additional protection. Relevant information may be used or disclosed as permitted by law to respond to a complaint, claim, or legal action.

Information may be disclosed to law enforcement when authorized or required by law, such as in response to a qualifying warrant, court order, subpoena, summons, or another purpose specifically permitted by law. Information may also be disclosed as authorized and necessary for workers’ compensation or similar programs.

Information may be disclosed to coroners, medical examiners, funeral directors, or organizations involved in organ, eye, or tissue donation as authorized by law. It may also be disclosed for legally authorized military, veterans, national-security, protective-service, correctional, or custodial functions.

LuminaThera does not currently conduct or participate in research. If that changes, protected health information will be used or disclosed for research only when federal and state requirements are met, such as with your authorization or an approved waiver.

Information may be used or disclosed after it has been de-identified according to the applicable legal standard so that it no longer identifies you.

Certain mental-health records, psychotherapy notes, HIV-related information, genetic information, and other records may receive greater protection under federal or Ohio law. LuminaThera will obtain authorization when a more protective law requires it.

LuminaThera does not currently operate a federally assisted substance use disorder program and does not knowingly create or maintain records governed by 42 CFR Part 2. If that changes, the additional protections required by Part 2 will apply.