HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices
Andrew Rader, L.Ac., MS | Awareness Healing
Effective Date: November 2, 2026
Your Privacy Matters
At Awareness Healing, we respect your privacy and are committed to protecting the confidentiality of your personal health information.
Andrew Rader, L.Ac., MS, provides acupuncture, Chinese medicine, hypnosis, and complementary healing services in California. We recognize that your health information is personal and that protecting it is an important part of building a trusting practitioner-patient relationship.
This Notice of Privacy Practices explains how your protected health information (PHI) may be used or disclosed, your rights regarding that information, and our responsibilities under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
We are required by law to protect the privacy of your protected health information, provide you with this notice, and follow the terms of the notice currently in effect.
1. Information We Collect and Protect
As part of providing individualized care, we may collect and maintain information such as:
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Your name, contact information, and date of birth
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Medical and health history
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Current symptoms, concerns, and wellness goals
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Acupuncture, herbal medicine, hypnosis, and other treatment records
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Appointment and treatment information
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Billing and payment records
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Communications concerning your health and treatment
This information is treated as confidential and protected according to applicable federal and California privacy laws.
2. How We May Use and Disclose Your Health Information
We may use or disclose your protected health information without your written authorization when permitted or required by law for the following purposes:
Treatment: To evaluate your health, develop personalized treatment plans, document your progress, and coordinate care with other health care professionals when appropriate.
Payment: To process payments, maintain billing records, or communicate with insurance providers regarding covered services, when applicable.
Health Care Operations: To support the administration of our practice, improve the quality of care, maintain appropriate records, and conduct other legally permitted practice activities.
Legal and Safety Requirements: We may disclose information when required or permitted by law, including certain public health reporting obligations, regulatory oversight, judicial proceedings, or circumstances involving serious threats to health or safety.
Other legally permitted disclosures may include those involving workers' compensation, coroners, medical examiners, and certain government functions, subject to applicable restrictions.
We will not use or disclose your information for purposes requiring your written authorization unless you provide that authorization.
3. Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information
Under HIPAA, you have important rights concerning your protected health information.
Access Your Records: You may request to inspect or obtain a copy of your health records, subject to limited legal exceptions.
Request Corrections: You may ask us to correct information you believe is incomplete or inaccurate. If we cannot approve your request, we will explain why.
Request Confidential Communications: You may ask us to contact you through a particular method or at a specific address to help protect your privacy.
Request Restrictions: You may request limitations on certain uses or disclosures of your information. Although we are not required to agree to every request, we will honor restrictions required by law, including applicable restrictions on disclosures to health plans for services you have paid for entirely out of pocket.
Request an Accounting of Disclosures: You may request a record of certain disclosures of your health information, as provided by law.
Receive a Copy of This Notice: You may request a printed copy of this notice at any time, even if you have previously received it electronically.
Choose Someone to Act on Your Behalf: A legally authorized personal representative may exercise certain privacy rights on your behalf.
File a Privacy Complaint: You have the right to raise concerns or submit a complaint without fear of retaliation.
4. Your Choices and Authorizations
We will obtain your written authorization before using or disclosing protected health information when HIPAA requires it, including most uses and disclosures for marketing, the sale of protected health information, and most uses or disclosures of psychotherapy notes if such notes are maintained.
You may revoke an authorization in writing at any time, except to the extent we have already relied upon it.
Where applicable, you may tell us your preferences regarding sharing information with family members, friends, or others involved in your care.
You may opt out of fundraising communications if any are conducted.
5. Additional Protections for Certain Health Records
Some categories of health information may receive additional protections under federal or California law.
Where applicable, records protected by federal substance use disorder confidentiality regulations under 42 CFR Part 2 are subject to special rules regarding their use, disclosure, and redisclosure. Such records generally may not be used or disclosed in certain proceedings against a patient without the patient's written consent or an appropriate court order.
We will comply with any additional privacy requirements that apply to the records we maintain.
6. How We Safeguard Your Information
We take reasonable and appropriate administrative, physical, and technical measures to protect personal health information from unauthorized access, use, alteration, or disclosure.
These measures include appropriate protection of patient records, limiting access to those with a legitimate need, and maintaining confidentiality in communications and practice operations.
Although no system of information storage or transmission is entirely risk-free, we are committed to protecting your information and complying with applicable privacy and security requirements.
If a breach of unsecured protected health information occurs, we will notify affected individuals as required by law.
7. Website Communications and Email
Our website, www.andrewraderhealing.com, provides information about our services and ways to contact our practice.
If you contact us through our website or by email, we may use the information you provide to respond to your inquiry, communicate about appointments, or address questions about our services.
We do not sell patient contact information or use protected health information for unauthorized marketing.
Please avoid sending highly sensitive medical information through ordinary email or general website contact forms unless a secure communication method has been confirmed.
Information submitted through our website may also be subject to our separate Website Privacy Policy.
8. Changes to This Notice
We reserve the right to update this Notice of Privacy Practices as permitted by law.
Any revised notice may apply to protected health information we already maintain, as well as information received in the future.
The current version will be available on our website and upon request.
9. Questions, Requests, or Privacy Concerns
If you have questions about this notice, would like to exercise your privacy rights, or have concerns about how your health information is handled, please contact:
Andrew Rader, L.Ac., MS
Awareness Healing
1330 Lincoln Avenue, Suite 308 B
San Rafael, CA 94901
Phone: 415-488-0201
Email: rader.a.a@gmail.com
Website: www.andrewraderhealing.com
You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, through:
www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/
You will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint.
Our Commitment to You
At Awareness Healing, your comfort, trust, and confidentiality are essential to the care we provide. We are committed to treating your personal health information with the same respect and attention that we bring to your health and well-being.