Privacy & HIPAA Notice

1. Scope of this notice

This notice applies to personal information collected through this website and to protected health information maintained by Nova Vitae. “Health information” includes information that identifies you and relates to your health, treatment, payment for care, or participation in services. Substance use disorder patient records may receive additional protection under 42 U.S.C. § 290dd-2 and 42 C.F.R. Part 2 (“Part 2”).

This website notice does not replace any additional consent, authorization, acknowledgment, or privacy form that may be provided during admission or treatment.

2. Information we collect through the website

We may collect information you voluntarily provide, such as your name, phone number, email address, preferred contact method, consultation request, date of birth, insurance carrier, plan type, member identification number, group number, policyholder information, and relationship to the policyholder.

We may also receive limited technical information needed to operate and protect the website, such as browser type, device information, access time, referring page, and security logs. Nova Vitae does not sell information submitted through its consultation or insurance-verification forms and does not use that submitted information for targeted advertising.

3. How website information is used

• To respond to consultation and admissions requests.
• To contact you using the method you select.
• To verify insurance eligibility and benefits with your health plan.
• To evaluate whether Nova Vitae’s services may be appropriate.
• To operate, secure, maintain, and improve the website.
• To comply with legal, licensing, accreditation, and regulatory obligations.

Submitting a website form does not establish a provider-patient relationship, guarantee admission, or guarantee insurance coverage or payment. Do not use the website for emergencies. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

4. How we may use and disclose health information

With your consent or as otherwise permitted by law, Nova Vitae may use or disclose health information to treat you, coordinate care, operate the program, bill for services, obtain payment, communicate with professionals involved in your care, fulfill your authorized requests, and perform health care operations such as quality improvement, training, credentialing, compliance, auditing, and program evaluation.

Part 2 generally requires your consent for most uses and disclosures of SUD treatment records. A consent may cover future uses and disclosures for treatment, payment, and health care operations until you revoke it, as permitted by law. More limited consent choices may affect our ability to coordinate, provide, or obtain payment for services.

5. Uses and disclosures that may not require consent

Subject to applicable safeguards and the limits of HIPAA and Part 2, information may be used or disclosed without consent when permitted or required for:

• A bona fide medical emergency.
• Internal communications and qualified contractors helping operate the program.
• Public health activities allowed by law, including certain required reports.
• Reporting suspected child abuse or neglect as required by law.
• Crimes or threats of crimes on program premises or against program personnel.
• Authorized audits, evaluations, oversight, accreditation, and lawful program review.
• Approved research that satisfies applicable privacy protections.
• Cause-of-death inquiries permitted by law.
• Other disclosures required by law or authorized by a valid court order meeting applicable requirements.

Nova Vitae will limit uses and disclosures to the information reasonably necessary and apply any stricter protection required for Part 2 records.

6. Special protection for SUD records

Separate consent may be required for SUD counseling notes maintained separately from the rest of the record. If Part 2 information is disclosed with your consent for treatment, payment, or health care operations to a recipient subject to HIPAA, the recipient may redisclose it as permitted by HIPAA; however, the information remains protected from use against you in legal proceedings except as allowed by Part 2.

7. Your rights

Depending on the information and applicable law, you have the right to:

• Request access to and obtain an electronic or paper copy of your health record.
• Ask us to correct or amend information you believe is inaccurate or incomplete.
• Request confidential communications at a different address, phone number, or method.
• Ask us to limit certain uses or disclosures. We may not be required to agree, except in circumstances required by law.
• Request that information about a service paid in full out of pocket not be disclosed to your health plan for payment or operations, unless disclosure is required by law.
• Request an accounting or list of certain disclosures, subject to legal limitations and applicable compliance dates.
• Choose a personal representative who is legally authorized to act for you.
• Receive a paper or electronic copy of this notice.
• Receive advance notice and a choice about fundraising communications. Nova Vitae does not condition treatment on fundraising participation.
• Revoke an authorization or consent in writing, except to the extent action has already been taken in reliance on it.
• File a complaint without retaliation.

To exercise a right, contact the Privacy Officer using the information below. We may ask you to submit the request in writing and verify your identity.

8. Our responsibilities

• We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of protected health information.
• We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in the notice currently in effect.
• We will provide a copy of this notice upon request.
• We will notify affected individuals as required if a breach compromises the privacy or security of protected information.
• We will not use or disclose information beyond what is described here unless you authorize it in writing or another use or disclosure is permitted or required by law.
• We will not retaliate against you for asking a question, exercising a privacy right, or filing a complaint.

9. Safeguards, service providers, and retention

Nova Vitae uses reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal and health information. Access is limited to workforce members and service providers who need the information for authorized duties. Vendors that handle protected health information on our behalf are required to protect it as applicable to their role and the law.

Information is retained only as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this notice and as required by health care, licensing, insurance, tax, legal, and record-retention obligations. No website or electronic transmission can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

10. Cookies, links, and communications

The website may use essential technologies needed for security, form processing, and basic operation. Links to third-party websites, social-media services, maps, insurers, or other organizations are governed by those parties’ privacy practices. Nova Vitae is not responsible for third-party sites.

If you request contact, ordinary email or text messaging may not be fully secure. You may ask us to use a different communication method. Consent to receive operational calls or messages may be withdrawn by contacting us, although we may still communicate when otherwise permitted by law.

11. Complaints and questions

You may complain directly to Nova Vitae if you believe your privacy or Part 2 rights have been violated. You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, by visiting hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint, calling 1-877-696-6775, or writing to 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201.

Nova Vitae will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

12. Contact the Nova Vitae Privacy Officer

You may request a paper copy, ask a privacy question, submit a complaint, or exercise a privacy right using the contact information above.

13. Changes to this notice

Nova Vitae may change this notice and make the revised notice effective for information already maintained as well as information received in the future. The current version will be available at our facility, upon request, and on this website with its effective date.