NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES
Effective date: 10/8/2026
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.
This notice applies to Jeffers Chiropractic and Sports Injuries at our La Jolla and Carmel Valley locations, including our healthcare professionals and staff. It covers information we maintain in paper, electronic, and other forms.
OUR RESPONSIBILITIES
We are required by law to protect the privacy of your protected health information, provide you with this notice, and follow the privacy practices described here. We will notify you as required by law if a breach involves your unsecured protected health information. When California law or another applicable law provides greater privacy protection than HIPAA, we follow the more protective requirements.
HOW WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE YOUR INFORMATION
Treatment
We may use your health information to evaluate your condition, provide chiropractic care and related services, and coordinate your treatment. When permitted by law, we may share information with your primary care physician, referring physician, imaging provider, or other healthcare professionals involved in your care.
Payment
We may use and disclose information to verify insurance coverage, submit claims, obtain payment, and manage your account. For example, we may send your insurance company information about your diagnosis and services provided. Disclosures remain subject to applicable privacy laws and any restrictions we are required to honor.
Healthcare operations
We may use and disclose information to operate our practice, review the quality of care, train staff, conduct audits, and fulfill legal and administrative responsibilities. Service providers that handle protected health information on our behalf must protect it as required by law and applicable agreements.
Patient communications
We may contact you about appointments, treatment, follow-up care, or billing using the contact information you provide, subject to applicable law and your communication preferences. You may request a different method of contact or another mailing address. We will accommodate reasonable requests for confidential communications.
Family members and others involved in your care
When permitted by law, we may share relevant information with people involved in your care or payment for your care if you agree, do not object when given the opportunity, or the circumstances reasonably indicate your agreement. If you cannot express a preference, we may share information when professional judgment indicates it is in your best interest. Additional restrictions may apply to specially protected records.
Attorneys and personal injury claims
We may provide bills or medical records to your attorney when you give a valid authorization or another legal basis permits or requires disclosure. An attorney's involvement in your claim does not, by itself, authorize access to all of your health information. A financial agreement or lien does not replace a separate authorization when one is required.
Other purposes permitted or required by law
Subject to applicable conditions and safeguards, we may use or disclose information for:
Public health activities, such as disease prevention, product recalls, and reporting adverse reactions.
Reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence.
Preventing or reducing a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.
Health oversight activities, such as licensing, inspections, audits, and investigations.
Workers' compensation matters.
Law enforcement and certain military, national security, or other government functions.
Judicial or administrative proceedings, including qualifying court orders or subpoenas. A request or subpoena does not automatically permit disclosure; applicable legal requirements must be satisfied.
Organ or tissue donation and authorized activities of coroners, medical examiners, or funeral directors.
Research when the required authorization, waiver, or other legal conditions are satisfied.
Compliance with applicable law, including required disclosures to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
INFORMATION REQUIRING ADDITIONAL PROTECTION
Some information, including certain mental health, HIV-related, genetic, and substance use disorder records, may have additional protections under federal or California law. We will obtain any additional consent or authorization and follow any additional restrictions required for these records.
If we receive substance use disorder records protected by 42 CFR Part 2 under a consent for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations, HIPAA may permit further uses and disclosures, subject to applicable Part 2 restrictions. We will not use or disclose these records, or testimony describing their contents, in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative investigations or proceedings against you without your written consent or a qualifying court order and subpoena or similar legal mandate, as required by law.
USES REQUIRING YOUR WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION
Uses and disclosures not otherwise permitted or required by law require your written authorization. These include most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes, marketing requiring authorization, and the sale of protected health information requiring authorization.
You may revoke an authorization in writing at any time. Revocation does not undo actions already taken in reliance on your authorization.
If we contact you for fundraising, you may opt out of further fundraising communications. If fundraising would involve your Part 2 records, we will first provide clear notice and an opportunity to choose whether to receive those communications. Your decision will not affect your treatment or payment eligibility.
YOUR RIGHTS
Inspect or obtain your records
You may request access to, or a paper or electronic copy of, your medical and billing records and other information available under applicable law. We will respond within the applicable legal deadlines. For requests covered by California patient-access law, inspection is generally available within five working days and copies within 15 days after receipt of a written request, subject to legal exceptions. We may charge only fees permitted by law. If access is denied, we will explain the reason and any available review rights.
Request an amendment
You may ask us to amend information you believe is incorrect or incomplete. We may deny a request when permitted by law, but we will explain the denial in writing and tell you how to submit a statement of disagreement. We will respond within the applicable legal deadline.
Request confidential communications
You may ask us to contact you in a particular way or at a different location. We will accommodate reasonable requests.
Request restrictions
You may ask us to limit certain uses or disclosures for treatment, payment, healthcare operations, or to people involved in your care. We are not required to agree to every request. However, if you pay for a healthcare item or service out of pocket in full and request that we not disclose information about that item or service to your health plan for payment or healthcare operations, we must honor the restriction unless disclosure is required by law.
Request an accounting of disclosures
You may request an accounting of certain disclosures made during the six years before your request. The accounting generally excludes disclosures for treatment, payment, healthcare operations, disclosures you authorized, and other exceptions permitted by law. The first accounting in a 12-month period is free. We may charge a reasonable fee for additional accountings during that period after informing you of the charge and allowing you to withdraw or modify your request.
Obtain a copy of this notice
You may request a paper copy at any time, even if you previously agreed to receive it electronically.
Use a personal representative
A person legally authorized to act for you may exercise your privacy rights, subject to applicable law. We will verify that person's authority before allowing access or accepting instructions.
File a complaint
You may contact our privacy contact if you believe your privacy rights have been violated. You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights at: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/index.html Telephone: 1-877-696-6775 Mail: 200 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20201 We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
PRIVACY QUESTIONS AND REQUESTS
To ask questions, exercise your rights, or submit a privacy complaint, contact: Jeffers Chiropractic, Telephone: 858-452-7770 Email or mailing address: 7770 Regents Road, Suite 105, San Diego CA 92122
CHANGES TO THIS NOTICE
We reserve the right to revise this notice as permitted by law and to apply the revised practices to information we already maintain and information we receive in the future. The revised notice will identify its effective date and will be available upon request, at our offices, and on our website.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RECEIPT
We may ask you to sign a separate acknowledgment that you received this notice. That acknowledgment does not authorize disclosures that otherwise require a separate authorization. If you decline to sign the acknowledgment, we will document our effort to obtain it; declining to sign does not, by itself, prevent treatment at our La Jolla and Carmel Valley locations, including our healthcare professionals and staff. It covers information we maintain in paper, electronic, and other forms.
OUR RESPONSIBILITIES
We are required by law to protect the privacy of your protected health information, provide you with this notice, and follow the privacy practices described here. We will notify you as required by law if a breach involves your unsecured protected health information. When California law or another applicable law provides greater privacy protection than HIPAA, we follow the more protective requirements.
HOW WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE YOUR INFORMATION
Treatment
We may use your health information to evaluate your condition, provide chiropractic care and related services, and coordinate your treatment. When permitted by law, we may share information with your primary care physician, referring physician, imaging provider, or other healthcare professionals involved in your care.
Payment
We may use and disclose information to verify insurance coverage, submit claims, obtain payment, and manage your account. For example, we may send your insurance company information about your diagnosis and services provided. Disclosures remain subject to applicable privacy laws and any restrictions we are required to honor.
Healthcare operations
We may use and disclose information to operate our practice, review the quality of care, train staff, conduct audits, and fulfill legal and administrative responsibilities. Service providers that handle protected health information on our behalf must protect it as required by law and applicable agreements.
Patient communications
We may contact you about appointments, treatment, follow-up care, or billing using the contact information you provide, subject to applicable law and your communication preferences. You may request a different method of contact or another mailing address. We will accommodate reasonable requests for confidential communications.
Family members and others involved in your care
When permitted by law, we may share relevant information with people involved in your care or payment for your care if you agree, do not object when given the opportunity, or the circumstances reasonably indicate your agreement. If you cannot express a preference, we may share information when professional judgment indicates it is in your best interest. Additional restrictions may apply to specially protected records.
Attorneys and personal injury claims
We may provide bills or medical records to your attorney when you give a valid authorization or another legal basis permits or requires disclosure. An attorney's involvement in your claim does not, by itself, authorize access to all of your health information. A financial agreement or lien does not replace a separate authorization when one is required.
Other purposes permitted or required by law
Subject to applicable conditions and safeguards, we may use or disclose information for:
Public health activities, such as disease prevention, product recalls, and reporting adverse reactions.
Reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence.
Preventing or reducing a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.
Health oversight activities, such as licensing, inspections, audits, and investigations.
Workers' compensation matters.
Law enforcement and certain military, national security, or other government functions.
Judicial or administrative proceedings, including qualifying court orders or subpoenas. A request or subpoena does not automatically permit disclosure; applicable legal requirements must be satisfied.
Organ or tissue donation and authorized activities of coroners, medical examiners, or funeral directors.
Research when the required authorization, waiver, or other legal conditions are satisfied.
Compliance with applicable law, including required disclosures to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
INFORMATION REQUIRING ADDITIONAL PROTECTION
Some information, including certain mental health, HIV-related, genetic, and substance use disorder records, may have additional protections under federal or California law. We will obtain any additional consent or authorization and follow any additional restrictions required for these records.
If we receive substance use disorder records protected by 42 CFR Part 2 under a consent for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations, HIPAA may permit further uses and disclosures, subject to applicable Part 2 restrictions. We will not use or disclose these records, or testimony describing their contents, in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative investigations or proceedings against you without your written consent or a qualifying court order and subpoena or similar legal mandate, as required by law.
USES REQUIRING YOUR WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION
Uses and disclosures not otherwise permitted or required by law require your written authorization. These include most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes, marketing requiring authorization, and the sale of protected health information requiring authorization.
You may revoke an authorization in writing at any time. Revocation does not undo actions already taken in reliance on your authorization.
If we contact you for fundraising, you may opt out of further fundraising communications. If fundraising would involve your Part 2 records, we will first provide clear notice and an opportunity to choose whether to receive those communications. Your decision will not affect your treatment or payment eligibility.
YOUR RIGHTS
Inspect or obtain your records
You may request access to, or a paper or electronic copy of, your medical and billing records and other information available under applicable law. We will respond within the applicable legal deadlines. For requests covered by California patient-access law, inspection is generally available within five working days and copies within 15 days after receipt of a written request, subject to legal exceptions. We may charge only fees permitted by law. If access is denied, we will explain the reason and any available review rights.
Request an amendment
You may ask us to amend information you believe is incorrect or incomplete. We may deny a request when permitted by law, but we will explain the denial in writing and tell you how to submit a statement of disagreement. We will respond within the applicable legal deadline.
Request confidential communications
You may ask us to contact you in a particular way or at a different location. We will accommodate reasonable requests.
Request restrictions
You may ask us to limit certain uses or disclosures for treatment, payment, healthcare operations, or to people involved in your care. We are not required to agree to every request. However, if you pay for a healthcare item or service out of pocket in full and request that we not disclose information about that item or service to your health plan for payment or healthcare operations, we must honor the restriction unless disclosure is required by law.
Request an accounting of disclosures
You may request an accounting of certain disclosures made during the six years before your request. The accounting generally excludes disclosures for treatment, payment, healthcare operations, disclosures you authorized, and other exceptions permitted by law. The first accounting in a 12-month period is free. We may charge a reasonable fee for additional accountings during that period after informing you of the charge and allowing you to withdraw or modify your request.
Obtain a copy of this notice
You may request a paper copy at any time, even if you previously agreed to receive it electronically.
Use a personal representative
A person legally authorized to act for you may exercise your privacy rights, subject to applicable law. We will verify that person's authority before allowing access or accepting instructions.
File a complaint
You may contact our privacy contact if you believe your privacy rights have been violated. You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights at: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/index.html
Telephone: 1-877-696-6775 Mail: 200 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20201 We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
PRIVACY QUESTIONS AND REQUESTS
To ask questions, exercise your rights, or submit a privacy complaint, contact: Jeffers Chiropractic
Privacy contact: Telephone: 858-452-7770 Email or mailing address: 7770 Regents Road, Suite 105, San Diego CA 92122
CHANGES TO THIS NOTICE
We reserve the right to revise this notice as permitted by law and to apply the revised practices to information we already maintain and information we receive in the future. The revised notice will identify its effective date and will be available upon request, at our offices, and on our website.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RECEIPT
We may ask you to sign a separate acknowledgment that you received this notice. That acknowledgment does not authorize disclosures that otherwise require a separate authorization. If you decline to sign the acknowledgment, we will document our effort to obtain it; declining to sign does not, by itself, prevent treatment.