BioHealth Dermatology is required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information (PHI). We are required to provide you with this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to health information we collect and maintain about you. We are required to abide by the terms of this Notice while it is in effect.
This Notice takes effect on June 1, 2026, and will remain in effect until we replace it. We reserve the right to change the terms of this Notice and to make the new notice effective for all protected health information we maintain. Upon request, we will provide you with any revised Notice of Privacy Practices. You may request a revised version by calling our office or contacting us at the information below.
BioHealth Dermatology may use and disclose your PHI in the following circumstances:
Treatment: We may use and disclose your PHI to provide, coordinate, or manage your health care and any related services. For example, your PHI may be shared with other physicians or healthcare providers who are involved in your care.
Payment: We may use and disclose your PHI so that treatment and services you receive may be billed and payment collected from you, an insurance company, or a third party. For example, we may need to share information about your treatment with your health plan to determine whether the service is covered.
Health Care Operations: We may use and disclose your PHI for our own healthcare operations. These activities may include quality assessment and improvement, reviewing the competence and qualifications of healthcare professionals, training programs, and conducting or arranging for other activities that are necessary for the general operation of our practice.
Other Permitted Disclosures: BioHealth Dermatology may use or disclose your PHI in the following situations without your authorization:
Uses and Disclosures Requiring Authorization: BioHealth Dermatology will obtain your written authorization before using or disclosing your PHI for marketing purposes, for the sale of your PHI, for most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes, and for any other purpose not described in this Notice. You may revoke your authorization in writing at any time, except to the extent that we have already taken action in reliance on it.
As a California-based practice, BioHealth Dermatology also complies with the California Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (CMIA), which provides additional privacy protections beyond HIPAA where applicable. We apply the more protective standard in all cases. California law provides additional protections for certain sensitive information categories, including mental health records, HIV/AIDS status, reproductive health, and genetic information. Disclosures of these categories require your specific authorization except as otherwise permitted by law.
You have the following rights with respect to your PHI:
You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your PHI that is contained in a designated record set for as long as we maintain the PHI. We may charge a reasonable cost-based fee. We may deny your request in limited circumstances; if denied, you may request a review of the denial.
You have the right to request an amendment of your PHI if you believe it is incorrect or incomplete. We may deny your request if the information was not created by us, is not part of the designated record set, or is accurate and complete. If denied, you may submit a statement of disagreement.
You have the right to request an accounting of certain disclosures of your PHI made by BioHealth Dermatology for the six years prior to the date of your request. This right does not apply to disclosures for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations, or to disclosures made prior to April 14, 2003.
You have the right to request restrictions on how your PHI is used or disclosed for treatment, payment, or health care operations. We are not required to agree to your restriction except in one circumstance: if you pay for a service out-of-pocket in full, you may request that we not disclose information related to that service to your health plan, and we must honor that request.
You have the right to request that we communicate with you in a certain way or at a certain location. We will accommodate reasonable requests. For example, you may request that we contact you only at a specific phone number or mailing address.
You have the right to obtain a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive it electronically.
You have the right to be notified if there is a breach of your unsecured PHI. BioHealth Dermatology will notify you without unreasonable delay and no later than 60 days following discovery of a breach, as required by the HIPAA Breach Notification Rule and California law.
To exercise any of the rights described above, please submit a written request to our Privacy Officer. We will respond within 30 days (or 60 days if additional time is needed, with written explanation).
If you believe that your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with BioHealth Dermatology's Privacy Officer or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
To file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, visit www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints or call 1-800-368-1019.