Legal
Your rights in your health record under HIPAA and the federal confidentiality rules for substance use disorder treatment.
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.
Effective date: September 11, 2026.
Wellness Ranch is required by law to protect the privacy of your health information, to give you this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices, and to follow the terms of the notice currently in effect.
Because we provide substance use disorder treatment, your records are protected not only by HIPAA but also by a stricter federal rule, 42 CFR Part 2. In general, that rule means we cannot tell anyone outside the program that you attend it, or share information identifying you as having a substance use disorder, unless you consent in writing or a narrow exception applies. Those exceptions are described below.
When it comes to your health information, you have the following rights.
You can ask to see or get a copy of your health and claims records and other health information we hold about you. We will provide a copy or a summary, usually within 30 days of your request. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee.
You can ask us to correct information you think is incorrect or incomplete. We may say no, but we will tell you why in writing within 60 days.
You can ask us to contact you in a specific way — for example, only on a particular phone, or only by mail to a particular address. We will consider all reasonable requests, and we will say yes if you tell us it would put you in danger not to.
You can ask us not to use or share certain information. We are not required to agree, and may say no if it would affect your care. If you pay for a service in full out of pocket, you can ask us not to share that information with your health insurer, and we will say yes unless a law requires us to share it.
You can ask for an accounting of the times we shared your health information in the six years before your request, who we shared it with, and why. We will include all disclosures except those about treatment, payment, and health care operations, and certain others. One accounting in any twelve months is free.
You can ask for a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you agreed to receive it electronically, and we will provide one promptly.
If you have given someone medical power of attorney, or if someone is your legal guardian, that person can exercise your rights and make choices about your health information. We will verify that the person has the authority before we act.
You can complain to us using the contact details at the bottom of this page. You can also complain to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights by writing to 200 Independence Avenue S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201, calling 1-877-696-6775, or visiting hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
For certain information, you can tell us your choices about what we share. If you have a clear preference, tell us and we will follow your instructions.
You have both the right and the choice to tell us to share information with family, friends, or others involved in your care; to share information in a disaster relief situation; or to include your information in a facility directory. If you are not able to tell us your preference — for example, if you are unconscious — we may share information if we believe it is in your best interest, or where needed to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.
We never share your information for marketing purposes, and we never sell your information. Most sharing of psychotherapy notes requires your written authorization.
We use your health information and share it with other professionals who are treating you — for example, a physician sharing information with a therapist or nurse on your care team.
We use and share your information to run the facility, improve your care, and contact you when necessary, including for quality assessment, staff training and licensing.
We use and share your information to bill and get payment from health plans or other entities, unless you have paid out of pocket in full and asked us not to.
Some of these uses are narrower for substance use disorder records than they are for general medical records. Where the two rules differ, we follow the stricter one.
Federal law and regulations protect the confidentiality of substance use disorder patient records maintained by this program. Generally, we may not tell a person outside the program that you attend it, or disclose any information identifying you as having a substance use disorder, unless:
Violation of these federal laws and regulations by a program is a crime. Suspected violations may be reported to appropriate authorities in accordance with federal regulations. Federal law and regulations do not protect any information about suspected child abuse or neglect from being reported under state law to appropriate state or local authorities.
Your written consent may be revoked at any time, except to the extent that we have already acted in reliance on it. Information disclosed with your consent may not be redisclosed by the recipient without your further written consent, unless the regulations permit it.
We can change the terms of this notice, and the changes will apply to all information we hold about you. The new notice will be available on request, in our facility, and on this page.
To exercise any right described here, to ask a question, or to make a complaint, contact our Privacy Officer:
Wellness RanchFor information about how this website handles the data you share with us online, see our Privacy Policy.