MEREWELL HEALTH
Notice of Privacy Practices
Effective Date: [10/18/26]
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.
Merewell Health provides virtual healthcare services, including primary care, women's health, sick visits, STI testing, and mental health medication management.
We are committed to protecting your personal health information. This notice explains your privacy rights, how we use and share your information, and our responsibilities under HIPAA and applicable laws.
1. YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS
You have the right to:
Access your records: Request electronic or paper copies of your medical records. We generally provide access within 30 days and may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee when permitted by law.
Request corrections: Ask us to correct information you believe is inaccurate or incomplete. We may deny certain requests but will explain why in writing.
Request confidential communication: Ask us to contact you through a specific method, such as your patient portal, phone, or mailing address. We will accommodate reasonable requests.
Request restrictions: Ask us to limit certain uses or disclosures of your information. We are not required to agree to every request.
If you pay for a service entirely out of pocket, you may request that we not share information about that service with your health plan for payment or healthcare operations, unless disclosure is required by law.
Request an accounting: Ask for a list of certain disclosures of your health information.
Receive this notice: Request a paper or electronic copy at any time.
Choose a representative: Have someone legally authorized to act on your behalf exercise your privacy rights.
File a complaint: Report privacy concerns without fear of retaliation.
2. HOW WE USE AND SHARE YOUR INFORMATION
We may use or disclose your health information without separate written authorization when permitted or required by law.
Treatment: To provide healthcare, prescribe medications, order laboratory testing, coordinate referrals, and communicate with other healthcare professionals.
Example: We may share relevant information with a laboratory performing tests ordered during your appointment.
Payment: To verify insurance coverage, submit claims, collect payments, and manage billing.
Example: We may share information with your insurance company to obtain payment for a covered visit.
Healthcare operations: To manage our practice, improve care quality, maintain records, and perform permitted administrative activities.
Example: We may review patient records to evaluate the quality of our services.
We may also use or disclose information when permitted or required for:
Public health and safety reporting.
Reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence when legally permitted or required.
Health oversight activities.
Certain research activities permitted by law.
Organ and tissue donation.
Medical examiners, coroners, and funeral directors.
Workers' compensation.
Law enforcement requests and legal proceedings when legally authorized.
Government functions authorized by law.
Preventing or reducing serious threats to health or safety.
Other disclosures required by law.
Additional federal or state protections may restrict certain disclosures.
3. YOUR CHOICES
You may tell us your preferences about sharing relevant information with family members, friends, or others involved in your care.
You may also have choices about disclosures for disaster relief.
If you cannot communicate your preferences, we may share information when legally permitted and when we believe doing so is in your best interest.
Written authorization is generally required for:
Most marketing uses requiring authorization.
Sale of protected health information.
Most uses or disclosures of psychotherapy notes, if maintained.
Other uses or disclosures not otherwise permitted by law.
You may revoke an authorization in writing, except to the extent we have already acted in reliance on it.
If Merewell Health conducts fundraising communications using protected health information, you will have an opportunity to opt out.
4. SENSITIVE HEALTH INFORMATION
Certain information, including some mental health, HIV-related, and substance use disorder records, may receive additional confidentiality protections under federal or state law.
We follow applicable restrictions when using or disclosing this information.
Substance Use Disorder Records
Some substance use disorder records are protected under 42 CFR Part 2.
When applicable, these records may be used or disclosed only as permitted by law and any required consent.
Part 2 records, or testimony describing their contents, generally cannot be used against you in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceedings without your specific written consent or a qualifying court order and other required legal process.
Where permitted, information disclosed to another recipient may be redisclosed and may no longer be protected by HIPAA. Other laws may continue to protect certain information.
5. TELEHEALTH & ELECTRONIC INFORMATION
Merewell Health provides healthcare through secure electronic systems, including telehealth and electronic health records.
We use administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect your health information.
We may communicate with you through our patient portal and other communication methods consistent with applicable privacy requirements and your communication preferences.
The secure patient portal is our preferred method for nonurgent medical communication.
6. OUR RESPONSIBILITIES
Merewell Health is required by law to:
Maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information.
Provide notice of our legal duties and privacy practices.
Follow the terms of the notice currently in effect.
Notify affected individuals following a breach of unsecured protected health information when required by law.
Obtain written authorization for uses or disclosures when required.
Follow applicable federal and state confidentiality laws.
We may revise this notice and apply changes to information we already maintain.
Updated notices will be available upon request and through our website.
7. QUESTIONS OR COMPLAINTS
If you have questions about this notice, wish to exercise your privacy rights, or believe your privacy rights have been violated, contact:
Merewell Health
Privacy Officer: Merewell Health Privacy Officer
Email: hello@merewellhealth.com
Phone: [401-965-5527]
You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights.
HHS Office for Civil Rights
200 Independence Avenue SW
Washington, DC 20201
Phone: 1-877-696-6775
Merewell Health will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.