Effective Date: March 1, 2016 Revised: June 16, 2026

Genetic Support Foundation (“GSF,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to protecting your privacy and the confidentiality of your health information. GSF is a charitable nonprofit organization. 

This policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your Protected Health Information (PHI) under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and other applicable laws.

1. Our Commitment to Your Privacy

The Genetic Support Foundation (GSF) is committed to protecting your health information. We are required by law to maintain the privacy of your Protected Health Information (PHI) and to provide you with this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices.

Special Note on Genetic Information: In accordance with the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), we are strictly prohibited from using or disclosing your genetic information for underwriting purposes

2. How We May Use and Disclose Your Information

We typically use or share your health information in the following ways:

• Treating You: We use your PHI to provide genetic counseling. We may share information with your primary care physician or other specialists involved in your care.
• Running Our Organization: We use your information to manage our practice, improve your care, and contact you when necessary.
• Billing for Services: We use and share your information to bill and get payment from health plans or other entities.
• Legal Requirements: We will share information about you if state or federal laws require it, including with the Department of Health and Human Services if they want to see that we are complying with federal privacy law.
• Public Safety: We may share information in certain situations, such as preventing disease, helping with product recalls, reporting adverse reactions to medications, or preventing a serious threat to anyone's health or safety.

3. Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information

When it comes to your health information, you have certain rights:

• Get an Electronic or Paper Copy of Your Record: You can ask to see or get a copy of your medical record and other health information we have about you. We will provide a copy or a summary of your health information, usually within 30 days of your request.
• Ask Us to Correct Your Record: You can ask us to correct health information about you that you think is incorrect or incomplete. We may say "no" to your request, but we’ll tell you why in writing within 60 days.
• Request Confidential Communications: You can ask us to contact you in a specific way (for example, home or office phone) or to send mail to a different address.
• Ask Us to Limit What We Use or Share: You can ask us not to use or share certain health information for treatment, payment, or our operations. We are not required to agree to your request, and we may say "no" if it would affect your care.
• Get a List of Those With Whom We’ve Shared Information: You can ask for a list (accounting) of the times we’ve shared your health information for six years prior to the date you ask, who we shared it with, and why.
• Get a Copy of This Privacy Notice: You can ask for a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive the notice electronically.

4. Your Choices

For certain health information, you can tell us your choices about what we share. If you have a clear preference for how we share your information in the situations described below, talk to us.

• Family and Friends: You have the right and choice to tell us to share information with your family, close friends, or others involved in your care.
• Disaster Relief: You have the choice to tell us to share information in a disaster relief situation.

Note: We will never share your information will be shared with third parties/affiliates for marketing/promotional purposes. 

 

5. Our Responsibilities

• We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information.
• We will let you know promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information.
• We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in this notice and give you a copy of it.
• We will not use or share your information other than as described here unless you tell us we can in writing. If you tell us we can, you may change your mind at any time. Let us know in writing if you change your mind.

6. Changes to the Terms of This Notice

We can change the terms of this notice, and the changes will apply to all information we have about you. The new notice will be available upon request and on our website.

For questions regarding your privacy or to file a complaint, please contact: Genetic Support Foundation Attn: Privacy Officer Phone: (844) 743-6384 Email: info@geneticsupport.org

 

You can also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights by sending a letter to 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201, calling 1-877-696-6775, or visiting www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/.

We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.