Notice of Privacy Practices
Effective Date: March 12, 2026

This notice describes how health information about you may be used and disclosed, and how you can access this information. Please read it carefully.

Our Privacy Commitment

Aspire Now is not a HIPAA-covered entity, as we do not bill insurance or conduct electronic transactions covered by HIPAA. However, we are committed to protecting your personal health information by voluntarily adopting privacy and security practices aligned with the HIPAA Privacy Rule and the AAAHC v44 standards. We are dedicated to providing respectful, confidential care and safeguarding your information to the highest standards.

Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information

As a non-covered entity, we voluntarily extend the following rights to you regarding your health information:

  • Receive a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive it electronically. We will provide it promptly upon request.
  • Request confidential communications, such as being contacted by phone, mail, or at a specific address. We will accommodate all reasonable requests.
  • Inspect and request a copy of your health information that we maintain. You can ask to see or obtain a paper or electronic copy of your records. We will provide a copy or summary within 30 days of your request, and we may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee.
  • Request corrections to your health information if you believe it is incorrect or incomplete. We will review your request and respond in writing within 60 days. If we deny your request, we will explain why in writing.
  • Request restrictions on how we use or share your health information for treatment, payment, or clinic operations. While we are not required to agree, we will consider all reasonable requests. If you pay for a service out-of-pocket in full, you can request that we not share that information with your health insurer, and we will comply unless legally required otherwise.
  • Request a list (accounting) of disclosures of your health information for the past six years, including who we shared it with and why. This excludes disclosures for treatment, payment, clinic operations, or those you authorized. We will provide one accounting per year at no cost, but we may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for additional requests within 12 months.
  • Choose someone to act on your behalf. If you have given someone medical power of attorney or if someone is your legal guardian, that person can exercise your rights and make choices about your health information. We will verify their authority before taking action.
  • File a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated. You can contact our Privacy Officer using the information below. As a non-covered entity, complaints cannot be filed with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, but we take all concerns seriously and will address them promptly without retaliation.

Your Choices Regarding Information Sharing

You have choices about how we share your health information in certain situations. If you have a clear preference, please inform us, and we will follow your instructions where possible. These situations include:

  • Sharing information with family, close friends, or others involved in your care.
  • Sharing information in a disaster relief situation.
  • Including your information in a clinic directory (if applicable).

If you are unable to communicate your preferences (for example, if you are unconscious), we may share your information if we believe it is in your best interest or to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.

We will not share your health information without your written authorization in the following cases:

  • Marketing communications, including from third parties.
  • Sale of your information.
  • Most sharing of psychotherapy notes (if applicable).
  • Disclosure of information related to HIV/AIDS status, substance use disorder (SUD), or mental health, which may require additional specific authorization under state law.

For fundraising efforts, we may contact you, but you can opt out by informing us in writing, and we will not contact you again for this purpose.

How We May Use or Disclose Your Health Information

We use and disclose your health information only as permitted by law and in accordance with our internal policies, which are aligned with AAAHC v44 standards. Common uses and disclosures include:

  • Treatment: We may use your health information to provide clinical services or coordinate care with other providers, such as specialists or laboratories. Example: A provider may share your test results with a consulting physician to plan your care.
  • Clinic Operations: We may use your information for internal purposes, such as quality improvement, staff training, compliance monitoring, or managing your treatment and services.
  • Billing: If you pay out-of-pocket, we use your information to process payments. If you use insurance (though not typical for our clinic), we may share information with your health plan for payment purposes.
  • Emergency Situations: We may disclose your information in a medical or safety emergency to ensure your care or protect your safety or the safety of others.
  • Public Health and Legal Obligations: We may disclose information as required by state law, such as reporting suspected abuse, neglect, domestic violence, certain communicable diseases, or other public health matters.
  • Research: With your written authorization, we may use or share your information for health research purposes.
  • Referrals and Continuity of Care: With your consent, we may share relevant information with outside providers to ensure continuity of care, such as for follow-up treatment.
  • Organ and Tissue Donation: We may share information with organ procurement organizations if you are an organ donor.
  • Medical Examiner or Funeral Director: We may share information with a coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director in the event of a patient’s death.
  • Workers’ Compensation, Law Enforcement, and Government Requests: We may share information for workers’ compensation claims, law enforcement purposes, health oversight activities, or special government functions (e.g., military or national security) as required by law.
  • Lawsuits and Legal Actions: We may share information in response to a court or administrative order or a subpoena, as permitted by law.

Records Maintained

Our records may include, but are not limited to:

  • Your name, contact information, and demographic details.
  • Dates of service, clinical notes, and treatment plans.
  • Pregnancy test results, ultrasound reports, STI testing outcomes, or other diagnostic results.
  • Signed consent forms and communication preferences.
  • Payment records (if applicable).

Safeguards and Security

We maintain robust physical, technical, and administrative safeguards to protect your health information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. These include:

  • Secure storage of paper and electronic records.
  • Access controls limiting who can view your information.
  • Staff training on privacy and security practices.
  • Regular audits to ensure compliance with our policies.

In the event of a breach that may compromise the privacy or security of your information, we will notify you promptly and take steps to mitigate any harm.

Changes to This Notice

We reserve the right to update or revise this Notice at any time. Changes will apply to all health information we maintain, including information collected before the change. The most current version will be available upon request, posted in our clinic, and available on our website (if applicable).

Contact Information and Complaints

For questions, to exercise your rights, or to file a privacy-related concern, please contact:

Privacy Officer
Aspire Now
140 Kennedy Dr #101
South Burlington, VT 05403
Phone: (802) 658-2184
Email: aspirenowvt@gmail.com

We will respond to all inquiries within 15 business days. Filing a complaint will not affect the quality of care you receive.

Special Notes

  • We never market or sell your personal information.
  • We comply with all applicable state laws regarding the privacy of sensitive health information, such as substance use disorder records, which may require your written permission for disclosure.

Acknowledgment of Receipt

You may be asked to sign a form acknowledging receipt of this Notice. This acknowledgment does not indicate agreement with the Notice’s contents, only that you have received a copy.