Patient Rights Under HIPAA
Your rights regarding the protection and use of your health information
Overview of Your HIPAA Rights
Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), you have important rights regarding your protected health information (PHI). These rights ensure that you maintain control over how your health information is used and disclosed, and give you access to your own health records.
Your Rights Are Protected by Law
HIPAA grants you specific rights that healthcare providers, including Texas Service Animals, must respect and uphold. These rights cannot be waived and apply to all protected health information we maintain about you.
Right to Access Your Records
What This Means
You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your health information, including your medical records, billing records, and other records used to make decisions about your care.
Key Points:
- You may request access to your records in writing
- We must respond to your request within 30 days
- You can request your records in electronic format if they are maintained electronically
- We may charge a reasonable fee for copying and mailing your records
- In rare cases, we may deny access if it could endanger you or others
Right to Request Amendment
What This Means
If you believe your health information is incorrect or incomplete, you have the right to request that we amend your records.
Amendment Process:
- Submit your amendment request in writing
- Explain why you believe the information is incorrect
- We will respond within 60 days of your request
- If we accept your request, we will make the amendment and notify relevant parties
- If we deny your request, we will explain why and inform you of your right to submit a disagreement statement
Right to an Accounting of Disclosures
What This Means
You have the right to receive a list of certain disclosures we have made of your health information to third parties.
What's Included:
- Disclosures made for purposes other than treatment, payment, or healthcare operations
- Disclosures made with your authorization are not included
- The accounting covers the 6 years prior to your request
- First accounting in any 12-month period is free
- We may charge a reasonable fee for additional requests
Right to Request Restrictions
What This Means
You have the right to request restrictions on how we use or disclose your health information for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations.
Important Notes:
- You may request restrictions on disclosures to family members or others involved in your care
- We are not required to agree to your request unless you pay for services out-of-pocket and request that we not disclose to your health plan
- If we agree to a restriction, we must honor it except in emergency situations
- You can terminate a restriction at any time by notifying us in writing
Right to Confidential Communications
What This Means
You have the right to request that we communicate with you about health matters in a specific way or at a specific location.
Examples:
- Request that we call you only at work or on your cell phone
- Request that we send mail to a different address
- Request communication only via email
- We will accommodate reasonable requests
- You do not need to explain why you are making the request
Right to File a Complaint
What This Means
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you have the right to file a complaint without fear of retaliation.
Filing a Complaint:
With Texas Service Animals
Contact our Privacy Officer at privacy@texasserviceanimals.net
With HHS Office for Civil Rights
File online at hhs.gov/ocr/complaints
How to Exercise Your Rights
To exercise any of your HIPAA rights, follow these steps:
Submit a Written Request
Send your request to our Privacy Officer via email or mail. Include your full name, date of birth, and the specific right you wish to exercise.
Verification
We may need to verify your identity to protect your privacy. This may include confirming information we have on file.
Response
We will respond to your request within the timeframes required by HIPAA (typically 30 days) and provide you with the requested information or action.
Contact Information
Mailing Address
214 N 16th St.
McAllen, TX 78501
