Updated January 1, 2026

Cobb Speech and Language Services

This Notice of Privacy Practices is NOT an authorization. It describes how we, our Business Associates, and their subcontractors may use and disclose your Protected Health Information to carry out treatment, payment, or health care operations, and for other purposes that are permitted or required by law. It also describes your rights to access and control your Protected Health Information. "Protected Health Information" is information that identifies you individually, including demographic information that relates your past, present, or future physical or mental health condition and related health care services.

USES AND DISCLOSURES OF YOUR PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION
We may use and disclose your Protected Health Information in the following situations:

Treatment: We may use or disclose your Protected Health Information to provide therapy treatment and/or services in order to manage and coordinate your therapy care. For example, we may share your medical information with physicians and other health care providers, DME vendors, surgery centers, hospitals, rehabilitation therapists, home health providers, laboratories, nurse case managers, worker's compensation adjusters, etc. to ensure that the medical provider has the necessary medical information to provide treatment to you.

Payment: Your Protected Health Information will be used to obtain payment for your health care services. For example, we will provide your health care plan with the information it requires prior to paying us for the services we have provided to you. This use and disclosure may also include certain activities that your health plan requires prior to approving a service, such as determining benefits eligibility and prior authorization, etc.

Health Care Operations: We may use and disclose your Protected Health Information to manage, operate, and support the business activities of our practice. These activities include, but are not limited to, quality assessment, employee review, licensing, fundraising, and conducting or arranging for other business activities. In addition, we may use a sign-in sheet at the registration desk where you will be asked to sign your name and indicate your therapist. We may also call you by name in the waiting room when your therapist is ready to see you. We may use or disclose your Protected Health Information, as necessary, to contact you to remind you of your appointment, and inform you about treatment alternatives or other health-related benefits and services that may be of interest to you.

Minors: Protected Health Information of minors will be disclosed to their parents or legal guardians, unless prohibited by law.

Required by Law: We will use or disclose your Protected Health Information when required to do so by local, state, federal, and international law. Disclosure may be made of pertinent information without your expressed consent in accordance with G.S. 122C-52 through 122C 56.

Abuse, Neglect, and Domestic Violence: Your Protected Health Information will be disclosed to the appropriate agency if there is belief that a patient has been, or is currently the victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence and the patient agrees, it is required by law to do so. In addition, your information may also be disclosed when necessary to prevent a serious threat to your health or safety or the health and safety of others to someone who may be able to help prevent the threat.

we may disclose your Protected Health Information for the purpose of litigation to include: disputes and lawsuits; in response to a court or administrative order; response to a subpoena; request for discovery; or other legal processes. However, disclosure will only be made if efforts have been made to inform you of the request or obtain an order protecting the information requested. Your information may also be disclosed if required for our legal defense in the event of a lawsuit.

Law Enforcement: We will disclose your Protected Health Information for law enforcement purposes when all applicable legal requirements have been met. This includes, but is not limited to, law enforcement due to identifying or locating a suspect, fugitive, material witness or missing person, complying with a court order or warrant, and grand jury subpoena.

Public Health: Your Protected Health Information may be disclosed and may be required by law to be disclosed for public health risks. This includes: reports to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the purpose of quality and safety of an FDA-regulated product or activity; to prevent or control disease; report births and deaths; report child abuse and/or neglect; reporting of reactions to medications or problems with health products; notification of recalls of products; reporting a person who may have been exposed to a disease or may be at risk of contracting and/or spreading a disease or condition.

Health Oversight Activities: We may disclose your Protected Health Information to a health oversight agency for audits, investigations, inspections, licensures, and other activities as authorized by law.

Inmates: If you are or become an inmate of a correctional facility or are under the custody of the law, we may disclose Protected Health Information to the correctional facility if the disclosure is necessary for your institutional health care, to protect your health and safety, or to protect the health and safety of others within the correctional facility.

Military, National Security, and other Specialized Government Functions: If you are in the military or involved in national security or intelligence, we may disclose your Protected Health Information to authorized officials.

Worker's Compensation: We will disclose only the Protected Health Information necessary for Worker's Compensation in compliance with Worker's Compensation laws. This information may be reported to your employer and/or your employer's representative regarding an occupational injury or illness.

Practice Ownership Change: If our medical practice is sold, acquired, or merged with another entity, your protected health information will become the property of the new owner. However, you will still have the right to request copies of your records and have copies transferred to another physician.

Breach Notification Purposes: If for any reason there is an unsecured breach of your Protected Health Information, will utilize the contact information you have provided us with to notify you of the breach, as required by law. In addition, your Protected Health Information may be disclosed as a part of the breach notification and reporting process.

Judicial and Administrative Proceedings: As sometimes required by law.

provide the minimum information necessary for the associate(s) to perrorm
their functions as it relates to our business operations. For example, we
may use a separate company to process our billing or transcription
services that require access to a limited amount of your health information.
Please know and understand that all of our business associates are
obligated to comply with the same HIPAA privacy and security rules in
which we are obligated. Additionally, all of our business associates are
under contract with us and committed to protect the privacy and security
of your Protected Health Information.

participate; information obtained under a promise or confidentiality; and
information whose disclosure may result in harm or injury to yourself or others.
We have up to 30 days to provide the Protected Health Information and may
charge a fee for the associated costs.

You have the right to request Amendments: At any time if you believe the
Protected Health Information we have on file for you is inaccurate or
incomplete, you may request that we amend the information. Your request for
an amendment must be submitted in writing and detail what information is
inaccurate and why. Please note that a request for an amendment does not
necessarily indicate the information will be amended.
You have the right to have your health information received or communicated
through an alternative method or sent to an alternative location other than the
usual method of communication or delivery, upon your request. You have the
right to inspect and copy your health information. You have a right to request
that we amend your protected health information. Please be advised,
however, that we are not required to agree to amend your protected health
information. If your request to amend your health information has been
denied, you will be provided with an explanation of our denial reason(s) and
information about how you can disagree with the denial. You have the right to
receive an accounting of disclosures of your protected health information
made by us.
You have a right to a paper copy of this Notice of Privacy Practices at any time
upon request.

Communication with family and/or individuals involved in your care
or payment of your care: Unless you object, disclosure of your Protected
Health Information may be made to a family member, friend, or other
individual involved in your care or payment of your care in which you have
identified.

Disaster: In the event of a disaster, your Protected Health Information
may be disclosed to disaster relief organizations to coordinate your care
and/or to notify family members or friends of your location and condition.
Whenever possible, we will provide you with an opportunity to agree or
object.

Fundraising: As necessary, we may disclose your Protected Health
Information to contact you regarding fundraising events and efforts. You
have the right to object or opt out of these types of communications.
Please let our office know if you would NOT like to receive such
communications.

We reserve the right to change the terms of this notice and will notify you of
such changes. We will also make copies available of our new notice if you
wish to obtain one. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

If you wish to file a complaint with us, please submit it in writing to our
Privacy/Compliance Officer to the address listed on the first page of this
Notice.

We will not disclose use your Protected Health Information in the
situations listed below without first obtaining written authorization to do so.
In addition to the uses and disclosures listed below, other uses not
covered in this Notice will be made only with your written authorization. If
you provide us with authorization, you may revoke it at any time by
submitting a request in writing:

If you are not satisfied with the manner in which this office handles your
complaint, you may submit a formal complaint with the Secretary of the United
States Department of Health and Human Services, please go to the website
of the Office for Civil Rights (www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/), call 202-619-0257 (toll
free 877-696-6775), or mail to:

Disclosure of Psychotherapy Notes: Unless we obtain your written
authorization, in most circumstances we will not disclose your
psychotherapy notes. Some circumstances in which we will disclose your
psychotherapy notes include the following: for your continued treatment;
training of medical students and staff; to defend ourselves during litigation;
if the law requires; health oversight activities regarding your
psychotherapist; to avert a serious or imminent threat to yourself or others;
and to the coroner or medical examiner upon your death.

Secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services, 200
Independence Ave S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201

Disclosures for marketing purposes and sale of your Protected
Health Information

If you have any questions in reference to this form, please ask to speak with
our HIPAA Compliance Officer in person or by phone at the number listed
below.

PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION AND YOUR RIGHTS The
following are statements of your rights, subject to certain limitations, with
respect to your Protected Health Information:
You have the right to request restrictions certain uses and
disclosures of your health information. Please be advised, however, that
we are not required to agree to the restriction that you requested.

Amy Taylor, Owner

404-273-7478

info@cobbspeechandlanguage.com

You have the right to receive a notice of breach: In the event of a
breach of your unsecured Protected Health Information, you have the right
to be notified of such breach.