Professional Privacy Policy

Effective September 1, 2021 This Professional Privacy Policy describes how medical information about you may be used, and disclosed by Somma Health Management, Inc. (“Somma”) and licensed medical clinics doing business as MedSomma, including but not limited to Carrie Carda MD (Texas) PLLC (“MedSomma”) and how you can get access to this information. Please review it carefully.

PATIENT RIGHTS

When it comes to your health information, you have certain rights. This section explains your rights and some of our responsibilities to help you.
  • You can ask to see or get an electronic or paper copy of your medical records and other health information we have about you.
  • We will provide a copy or a summary of your health information, usually within fifteen (15) days of your request. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee.
  • You can ask us to correct health information about you that you think is incorrect or incomplete. Ask us how to do this. We may say “no” to your request, but we’ll tell you why in writing.
  • You can ask us to contact you in a specific way (for example, home or office phone) or to send mail to a different address. We will say “yes” to all reasonable requests.
  • You can ask us not to use or share certain health information for treatment, payment, or our operations. We are not required to agree to your request, and we may say “no” if it would affect your care.
  • You can ask for a list (accounting) of the times we’ve shared your health information prior to the date you ask, who we shared it with, and why. We will include all the disclosures except for those about treatment, payment, and health care operations, and certain other disclosures (such as any you asked us to make). We’ll provide one (1) accounting per year for free but will charge a reasonable, cost-based fee if you ask for another one within twelve (12) months.
  • You can file a complaint if you feel we have violated your rights by contacting our Privacy Officer at care@medsomma.com.
  • You can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights by sending a letter to 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201, calling 1-877-696-6775, or visit www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/.
  • We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

YOUR CHOICES

For certain health information, you can tell us your choices about what we share. Tell us what you want us to do, and we will follow your instructions. In these cases, you have both the right and choice to tell us to:
  • Share information with your family, close friends, or others involved in your care
  • Share information in a disaster relief situation
We never share your information for marketing purposes or sell your information unless you give us written permission. We may contact you for fundraising efforts, but you can tell us not to contact you again.

OTHER USES AND DISCLOSURES

We typically use or share your health information in the following ways.
  • For treatment: We can use your health information and share it with other professionals who are treating you.
  • For payment activities: We can use and share your health information to bill and get payment from you or your designated party approved to speak on your behalf.
  • For healthcare operations: We can use and share your health information to improve your care, run our organization, and contact you when necessary. For example, we use health information about you to manage your treatment and services.
We are also allowed or required to share your information in other ways – usually in ways that contribute to the public good, such as public health and research. We can share health information about you for certain situations such as:
  • Helping with product recalls
  • Reporting adverse reactions to medications
  • We will share information about you for law enforcement purposes, with a law enforcement official, with health oversight agencies for activities authorized by law, for special government functions such as military, national security, and presidential protective services, or if the state or federal laws require it.
  • We can share health information with a coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director when someone dies.
  • We can share health information about you in response to a court or administrative order, or in response to a subpoena.

OUR RESPONSIBILITIES

  • We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information. We will let you know promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information.
  • We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in this notice and give you a copy of it.
  • We will not use or share your information other than as described here unless you tell us we can in writing. If you tell us we can, you may change your mind at any time. Let us know in writing if you change your mind.
  • We can change the terms of this notice, and the changes will apply to all information we have about you. The new notice will be available upon request, in our office, and on our website.