Notice of privacy practices.

This HIPAA 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. It applies to protected health information maintained by Valor Health in connection with treatment, payment, and healthcare operations.

Behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment information can be especially sensitive. In addition to HIPAA, certain records may be protected by federal substance use confidentiality rules, including 42 CFR Part 2, and by state privacy requirements. When more than one rule applies, Valor Health works to follow the rule that provides the required level of protection.

This notice is informational and summarizes common rights and responsibilities. Program-specific documents, consent forms, and state-required notices may provide additional detail.

We may use and disclose health information to provide, coordinate, or manage your care. This may include sharing information among physicians, therapists, nurses, case managers, recovery coaches, pharmacists, laboratories, hospitals, emergency providers, or other professionals involved in your treatment when legally permitted.

Treatment uses may include assessment, diagnosis, medication management, therapy planning, discharge planning, relapse prevention, family sessions when authorized, safety planning, continuing care referrals, and coordination with outside providers.

In a medical emergency or serious safety situation, information may be shared as permitted by law to protect your health or the health and safety of others.

We may use and disclose health information so treatment can be billed and paid for by you, an insurance plan, or another responsible party. This may include eligibility checks, benefit verification, prior authorization, utilization review, claims submission, payment posting, collections, and responses to payer questions.

The amount and type of information shared for payment depends on the payer, the service, the authorization requirements, and applicable privacy rules. When written authorization is required, we seek it before making the disclosure unless an exception applies.

You may request restrictions on certain disclosures to a health plan when you pay out of pocket in full for a service and the restriction is otherwise required by law.

We may use and disclose health information for healthcare operations, including quality improvement, credentialing, staff training, compliance review, licensing, accreditation, auditing, outcomes measurement, case management, legal support, business planning, and patient safety activities.

Operational uses help us evaluate whether programs are safe, effective, ethical, and aligned with professional standards. We aim to use the minimum necessary information for operational purposes when that standard applies.

We may work with business associates that perform services for Valor Health. These vendors must agree to protect health information and use it only as permitted by their agreements and applicable law.

Certain uses and disclosures require your written authorization unless an exception applies. These may include many disclosures of substance use disorder treatment records, psychotherapy notes, certain marketing communications, and disclosures to family members, employers, schools, attorneys, or outside parties not otherwise involved in permitted treatment, payment, or operations.

If you sign an authorization, you may revoke it in writing, except to the extent Valor Health has already relied on it. Revocation does not undo disclosures that were properly made before the revocation was received and processed.

We will not condition treatment on signing an authorization unless the law allows conditioning in a specific circumstance.

You may have the right to inspect or receive a copy of certain health records, request an amendment, request confidential communications, request restrictions, receive an accounting of certain disclosures, and obtain a paper or electronic copy of this notice.

Some requests must be made in writing and may require identity verification. Valor Health may deny certain requests when allowed by law, but we will explain the reason and any review rights that apply.

You may choose someone to act for you, such as a legal guardian or authorized representative. We may require documentation before recognizing that person's authority.

Valor Health is required to maintain the privacy and security of protected health information, provide notice of our legal duties and privacy practices, follow the terms of the notice currently in effect, and notify affected individuals if a breach occurs as required by law.

We train workforce members, maintain policies, review privacy concerns, and use safeguards intended to reduce unauthorized access. We also evaluate vendors and service providers that may handle protected health information on our behalf.

We may change this notice when allowed by law. A revised notice may apply to information we already have and information we receive in the future. The latest version will be available through Valor Health.

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may contact Valor Health and ask to speak with the appropriate privacy contact. You may also have the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights or another appropriate agency.

Valor Health will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint, asking questions, or exercising privacy rights. Concerns help us strengthen trust, care quality, and accountability.