Privacy Policy

Goal Weight is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website and use our services. Please read this policy carefully. If you do not agree with the terms of this Privacy Policy, please do not access the site.

Information We Collect We may collect personal information from you in various ways, including when you visit our website, register on the site, book an appointment, fill out a form, or interact with us in any other way. The types of information we may collect include:

● Personal Identification Information: Name, email address, phone number, and other contact details.
● Health Information: Any medical or health-related information you provide to us during consultations or through our website.
● Payment Information: Credit card details and billing information when you make a payment for our services.
● Usage Data: Information about your interaction with our website, including IP address, browser type, and browsing activity.

How We Use Your Information We may use the information we collect from you for the following purposes:

● To provide and manage our services.
● To process payments and manage appointments.
● To send periodic emails, including appointment reminders, newsletters, or other updates.
● To respond to your inquiries, comments, or concerns.
● To improve our website and customer service.
● To comply with legal obligations and protect our legal rights.

Sharing Your Information We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your information with third-party service providers who assist us in operating our website, conducting our business, or providing services to you, as long as those parties agree to keep this information confidential. We may also share your information when required by law or to protect our rights.

Security of Your Information We take appropriate security measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. However, please be aware that no method of transmission over the internet, or method of electronic storage, is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies Our website may use "cookies" to enhance your experience. Cookies are small data files stored on your device by your web browser. You can choose to set your web browser to refuse cookies, or to alert you when cookies are being sent. However, if you do so, some parts of the site may not function properly.

Third-Party Websites Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We do not control and are not responsible for the content or privacy practices of these websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

Your Rights You have the right to access, correct, or delete your personal information that we hold. You can also opt out of receiving marketing communications from us at any time by following the unsubscribe link in our emails or by contacting us directly.

Changes to This Privacy Policy We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page, and the date of the latest revision will be indicated at the top of the page. We encourage you to review this policy regularly to stay informed about how we are protecting your information.

Contact Us If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us at cyndi@goalweightmg.com or call us at (707) 771-4456.

HIPAA NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

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: The effective date of this Notice of Privacy Practices is January 1, 2024.
Notice Summary:

Your Rights. You have the right to:

● Get a copy of your health and claims records
● Correct your health and claims records
● Request confidential communication
● Ask us to limit the information we share
● Get a list of those with whom we’ve shared your information
● Get a copy of this privacy notice
● Choose someone to act for you
● File a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated

Your Choices. You have some choices in the way that we use and share information as we:

● Answer coverage questions from your family and friends
● Provide disaster relief
● Market our services and sell your information

Our Uses and Disclosures. We may use and share your information as we:

● Help manage the health care treatment you receive
● Administer the plan
● Pay for your health services
● Administer your health plan
● Help with public health and safety issues
● Do research
● Comply with the law
● Respond to organ and tissue donation requests
● Work with a medical examiner or funeral director
● Address workers’ compensation, law enforcement, and other government requests
● Respond to lawsuits and legal actions


YOUR 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.

Get a copy of your health and claims records
● You can ask to see or get a copy of your health and claims records and other health information we have about you. Please contact the Plan Representative listed below to ask how to do this.
● We will provide a copy or a summary of your health and claims records, usually within 30 days of your request. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee.

Ask us to correct your health and claims records
● You can ask us to correct your health and claims records if you think they are incorrect or incomplete. Please contact the Plan Representative listed below to ask how to do this.
● We may say “no” to your request, but we’ll tell you why in writing within 60 days.

Request confidential communications
● 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 consider all reasonable requests and must say “yes” if you tell us you would be in danger if we do not.

Ask us to limit what we use or share
● 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.

Get a list of those with whom we’ve shared information
● You can ask for a list (accounting) of the times we’ve shared your health information for six years 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 accounting a year for free but will charge a reasonable, cost-based fee if you ask for another one within 12 months.

Get a copy of this privacy notice
● You can ask the Privacy Officer identified below for a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive the notice electronically. We will provide you with a paper copy promptly.

Choose someone to act for you
● 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 make sure the person has this authority and can act for you before we take any action.

File a complaint if you feel your rights are violated
● You can complain if you feel we have violated your rights by contacting us using the information on page 1.
● 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 visiting 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. If you have a clear preference for how we share your information in the situations described below, talk to us. 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 payment for your care
● Share information in a disaster relief situation

If you are not able to tell us your preference, for example if you are unconscious, we may go ahead and share your information if we believe it is in your best interest. We may also share your information when needed to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.
In these cases, we never share your information unless you give us written permission:

● Marketing purposes
● Sale of your information

If you give such permission, you may later revoke it by sending written notice of revocation to the Privacy Officer.

OUR USES AND DISCLOSURES 

How do we typically use or share your health information? We typically use or share your health information in the following ways.

Help manage the health care treatment you receive. We can use your health information and share it with professionals who are treating you.
● Example: A doctor sends us information about your diagnosis and treatment plan so we can arrange additional services.

Run our organization. We can use and share your health information to help run the plan, improve your care, and contact you when necessary.
● Example: We use health information about you to develop better services for you.
Note regarding genetic information: We are not allowed to use genetic information to decide whether to give you coverage or set the price of coverage. This rule does not apply to long term care plans.

Pay for your health services. We can use and disclose your health information as we pay for your health services.
● Example: We share information about you with your dental plan to coordinate payment for your dental work.

Administer the plan. We may disclose your health information to your health plan sponsor for plan administration.
● Example: Your company contracts with us to provide a health plan, and we provide your company with certain statistics to explain the premiums we charge.

How else can we use or share your health information without your permission? We are 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 have to meet many conditions in the law before we can share your information for these purposes. For more information, see www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/index.html.

Help with public health and safety issues. We can share health information about you for certain situations such as:
● Preventing disease
● Helping with product recalls
● Reporting adverse reactions to medications
● Reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence
● Preventing or reducing a serious threat to anyone’s health or safety

Do research. We can use or share your information for health research.

Comply with the law. We will share information about you if state or federal laws require it, including the Department of Health and Human Services if it wants to see that we’re complying with federal privacy law.

Respond to organ and tissue donation requests. We can share health information about you with organ procurement organizations.

Work with a medical examiner or funeral director. We can share health information with a coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director when an individual dies.
Address workers’ compensation, law enforcement, and other government requests.
We can use or share health information about you:
● For workers’ compensation claims
● For law enforcement purposes or 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

Respond to lawsuits and legal actions. We can share health information about you in response to a court or administrative order, or in response to a subpoena.

OUR RESPONSIBILITIES

Our responsibilities include:

● 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.

CHANGES TO THE TERMS OF THIS NOTICE 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, and a copy will be provided to you.

FOR MORE INFORMATION contact the Privacy Officer or visit www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/noticepp.html.