HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices
Effective Date: October 20, 2026
Last Updated: October 2026
Dr. Julie Lee is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of your health information. This Notice of Privacy Practices explains how your protected health information may be used and disclosed, your rights regarding that information, and our responsibilities under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and applicable state laws.
Please review this notice carefully.
How We Use and Disclose Your Information
Your health information may be used or disclosed for the following purposes, as permitted by law:
Treatment: To provide psychological services, coordinate care, and consult with other healthcare professionals involved in your treatment.
Payment: To process payments, maintain billing records, and communicate with insurance providers when applicable.
Healthcare Operations: To manage administrative activities, maintain records, improve services, and fulfill professional obligations.
Legal and Safety Requirements: To comply with applicable laws, report suspected abuse or neglect, respond to certain legal proceedings, or address serious threats to health or safety.
Other Permitted Disclosures: In certain circumstances, information may be disclosed for public health activities, authorized research, health oversight, workers’ compensation, law enforcement, or other legally permitted purposes.
Business Associates: Information may be shared with service providers supporting practice operations, such as billing or electronic health record platforms, subject to applicable confidentiality requirements.
All disclosures are subject to applicable federal and state privacy protections.
Psychotherapy Notes
Psychotherapy notes maintained separately from your clinical record receive additional protections under HIPAA. In most circumstances, written authorization is required before these notes may be used or disclosed, except for specific purposes permitted by law.
Your Privacy Rights
Under HIPAA, you have the right to:
Access Your Records: Request an electronic or paper copy of your health information, subject to applicable exceptions. We generally respond within 30 days.
Request Corrections: Ask for amendments to information you believe is inaccurate or incomplete. We generally respond within 60 days.
Request Restrictions: Ask us to limit certain uses or disclosures of your information. Not all requests must be granted.
Request Confidential Communications: Ask to be contacted through a particular method or at a specific location. Reasonable requests will be accommodated.
Receive an Accounting of Disclosures: Request a record of certain disclosures of your health information, generally covering up to six years.
Receive a Copy of This Notice: Request a paper or electronic copy at any time.
Designate a Personal Representative: Authorize someone legally permitted to act on your behalf regarding your health information.
File a Complaint: Raise concerns about your privacy rights without fear of retaliation.
If you pay for a service entirely out of pocket, in full, you may request that information about that service not be disclosed to your health plan for payment or healthcare operations. We must honor this request unless disclosure is required by law.
Your Choices and Authorizations
You may express preferences regarding the disclosure of information to family members or others involved in your care.
Written authorization is generally required for:
Most uses and disclosures of separately maintained psychotherapy notes.
Certain marketing activities involving protected health information.
The sale of protected health information.
Other uses or disclosures not otherwise permitted or required by law.
You may revoke an authorization in writing at any time, except to the extent that action has already been taken in reliance on it.
If protected health information is used for fundraising, applicable notice and opt-out rights will be provided.
Additional Confidentiality Protections
Certain mental health and substance use disorder treatment records may receive additional protections under federal or state law.
Records protected by 42 CFR Part 2 are subject to specific confidentiality requirements. These records generally may not be used or disclosed in legal proceedings against a patient without specific written consent or appropriate legal authorization. Certain disclosures for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations may be permitted following valid patient consent, subject to applicable restrictions.
Additional protections may apply under New York and Massachusetts law. Where applicable law provides greater confidentiality protections than HIPAA, those requirements will be followed.
Our Responsibilities
We are required by law to:
Maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information.
Notify affected individuals of breaches of unsecured protected health information when legally required.
Provide this Notice of Privacy Practices and make it available upon request.
Follow the privacy practices described in the notice currently in effect.
Obtain authorization before using or disclosing information when legally required.
Comply with applicable federal and state confidentiality requirements.
We will not use or disclose your health information beyond what is permitted or required by law without appropriate authorization.
Changes to This Notice
This Notice of Privacy Practices may be updated periodically to reflect changes in legal requirements or practice procedures. Any revisions may apply to health information already maintained by the practice, as well as information collected in the future. Updated notices will be posted on this website and made available upon request.
Questions or Complaints
If you have questions about this notice, wish to exercise your privacy rights, or have concerns about how your health information is handled, please contact:
Privacy Officer: Julie Lee, PhD
info@julieleephd.com
44 Washington St., Suite 100
Wellesley Hills, MA 02481
You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office for Civil Rights
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201
Phone: 1-877-696-6775
Website: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/
You will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint.