HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices

Effective date: October 5th, 2026

Download this notice (PDF)

WeCare Medical Specialty Group (“WeCare,” “we,” “our”) is required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information (PHI), to provide this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices, and to follow the terms of the notice currently in effect. We will notify affected individuals following a breach of unsecured PHI as required by law.

Your rights

Access your records

You may inspect or obtain an electronic or paper copy of medical and billing records and other PHI in our designated record set, subject to limited legal exceptions. We generally respond within 30 days; if a permitted extension is needed, we will notify you in writing. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee as permitted by law. You may also ask us to transmit an electronic copy to a designated third party where applicable.

Request corrections

You may ask us to amend information you believe is incorrect or incomplete. We generally respond within 60 days and will explain in writing if we deny the request. A permitted extension may apply.

Request confidential communications

You may request that we contact you by a particular method or at another address. We will accommodate reasonable requests without requiring you to explain your reason.

Request restrictions

You may ask us to limit uses or disclosures for treatment, payment, or health care operations. We generally are not required to agree, except that when you pay in full out of pocket for an item or service and request that we not disclose related information to your health plan for payment or health care operations, we must honor the restriction unless disclosure is required by law. Tell our Privacy Officer when requesting a restriction.

Accounting of disclosures

You may request an accounting of certain disclosures of your PHI made during the six years before your request, subject to exclusions under HIPAA. One accounting in any 12-month period is free; additional requests may incur a reasonable, cost-based fee.

Paper copy and personal representatives

You may request a paper copy of this notice even if you agreed to electronic delivery. A legally authorized personal representative may exercise your rights, subject to applicable law and verification of authority.

File a complaint

You may complain to our Privacy Officer or to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, at hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint or 1-877-696-6775. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

Your choices and authorizations

You may tell us your preferences about sharing relevant information with family, friends, or others involved in your care or payment, and about disaster relief. If you cannot tell us your preference, we may share information when permitted by law and consistent with your best interests. WeCare does not operate a hospital patient directory; if that changes, applicable directory choices will be explained.

Except as otherwise permitted by law, we will obtain your written authorization for uses or disclosures for marketing, sale of PHI, and most uses or disclosures of psychotherapy notes. You may revoke an authorization in writing, except to the extent we have already acted in reliance on it. If we conduct fundraising communications, you may opt out of future fundraising contacts.

How we use and disclose health information

Treatment, payment, and health care operations

• Treatment: We may share information with physicians, surgery centers, therapists, laboratories, and other professionals involved in your care, including referrals and care coordination.
• Payment: We may share information with insurers, billing services, claims administrators, and other appropriate parties to determine coverage, obtain authorization, bill, collect payment, and address claims, appeals, and payment disputes.
• Health care operations: We may use information for quality improvement, credentialing, audits, compliance, staff training, business management, and related lawful operations. Business associates handling PHI on our behalf are subject to required written safeguards.

Other uses and disclosures permitted or required by law

Subject to applicable legal conditions, we may use or disclose PHI for public health reporting; reporting abuse or neglect; health oversight; product safety and recalls; research; organ or tissue donation; coroners and funeral directors; workers’ compensation; law enforcement and judicial proceedings; military or national security functions; correctional settings; averting a serious threat to health or safety; and other uses required by federal or state law. We may disclose PHI to HHS to demonstrate compliance with HIPAA. Some disclosures require additional safeguards, authorization, or legal process. New Jersey law may provide additional protections.

Specially protected substance-use-disorder records

WeCare does not operate a substance-use-disorder treatment program. However, if we receive or maintain patient records protected by 42 CFR Part 2 from another provider, we will comply with applicable additional restrictions. Such records may not be used or disclosed in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative investigations or proceedings against the patient without the patient’s specific written consent or an appropriate court order accompanied by required legal process, as permitted by Part 2. Other uses or redisclosures are subject to applicable Part 2 and HIPAA requirements. If fundraising would use Part 2 information, we will provide any required advance notice and opportunity to opt out.

Our responsibilities and changes to this notice

We safeguard your information and notify you if a reportable breach of unsecured PHI occurs. We will not use or share information other than as described here unless you authorize it or the law allows or requires it. We may change this notice and apply the revised terms to PHI we already maintain. A current copy will be available at our office, on our website if applicable, and upon request.

Questions, requests, and complaints

Please contact the Privacy Officer to request records, amendments, restrictions, confidential communications, an accounting, or a paper copy of this notice.