Privacy Policy

Introduction Notice
Bella Medical Associates, PLLC and its subsidiaries (" "we," or "us") owns and operates websites www.bellamedicalassociates.com located at www.bellamedicalassociates.com and www.bellavirtualcare.com and may have previously, now or in the future own and/or Bella Medical Associates, PLLC operate a mobile application (collectively, the " Platform"). Your access and use of the Platform, any part thereof, or anything associated therewith, including its content ("Content"), any products or services provided through the Platform or otherwise by and any affiliated website, software or application owned or operated by Bella Medical Associates, PLLC (collectively, including the Platform and the Content, the "Service") are subject to this Privacy Policy unless specifically stated otherwise. Capitalized terms not otherwise defined in this Privacy Policy have the same meaning as set forth in the Bella Medical Associates, PLLC Terms and Conditions ("Terms and Conditions").

How We May Use or Disclose Your Protected Health Information
We are committed to respecting the privacy of users of the Service. We created this Privacy Policy ("Privacy Policy") to tell you how Bella Medical Associates, PLLC collects, uses, and discloses information in order to provide you with the Service.

As with our Terms and Conditions, by creating, registering, or logging into an account through the Service, or otherwise accessing or using the Service, you are automatically accepting and acknowledging the most recent version of this Privacy Policy. Please carefully review this Privacy Policy. We retain the right to modify this Privacy Policy on the website at any time without prior notice. If we make any changes to our Privacy Policy, we will post the revised Privacy Policy and update the "Last updated" date of the Privacy Policy.

This Privacy Policy outlines the procedures for collecting, utilizing, processing, and distributing your information, including Personal Data (as defined below), which is employed to access this website. Please be advised that not every use or disclosure in a particular category will be listed. Your information will only be utilized or shared in accordance with the terms specified in this Privacy Policy. The utilization of information gathered through our website will be restricted to the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, as well as our Terms of Use for clients or customers, and/or HIPAA laws for patients or clients of Bella Medical Associates, PLLC.

Use of any personal information or contribution that you provide to us, or which is collected by us on or through our Website or its content is governed by this Privacy Policy. By using our Website or its content, you consent to this Privacy Policy, whether or not you have read it.

If you are using the Service on behalf of an individual other than yourself, you represent that you are authorized by such an individual to act on such an individual's behalf and that such individual acknowledges the practices and policies outlined in this Privacy Policy.

Special Notification Regarding Children Under 13
We acknowledge the importance of safeguarding personally identifiable information related to children under the age of 13 and, as such, issues this special notification. This Website is dedicated to adhering to all relevant laws and regulations concerning children, including the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act ("COPPA").

Limitations on Use by Minors
Our Service is generally intended for use by individuals who are at least eighteen (18) years of age, or such older age as may be required by applicable state laws in the jurisdiction in which an individual utilizes the Service. Individuals who are between the ages of thirteen (13) and eighteen (18) (or such older age of majority) may use the Service for the sole purpose of obtaining a medical consultation for the treatment of acne using topical skincare products (to the extent made available) if a parent or legal guardian provides consent to such use in accordance with the requirements set forth in our Terms and Conditions and the Service. The Service is not designed or intended to attract, and is not directed to, children under thirteen (13) years of age. If we obtain actual knowledge that we have collected personal information through the Platform from a person under thirteen (13) years of age, we will use reasonable efforts to refrain from further using such personal information or maintaining it in retrievable form.

Furthermore, if you are under sixteen (16) years of age, then you (or your parent or legal guardian if you are under age 13) may at any time request that we remove content or information about you that is posted on the Platform. Please submit any such request ("Request for Removal of Minor Information") to either of the following:

• By mail: Bella Medical Associates, PLLC Attn: “PRIVACY OFFICER” Bella Medical Associates, PLLC 1939 E Main St 1039 Albemarle NC 28001, with a subject line of "Removal of Minor Information”. If you send by mail, please send by U.S. Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested to allow for confirmation of mailing, delivery, and tracking.
• By email: privacyofficer@bellamedicalassociates.com, with a subject line of "Removal of Minor Information" For each Request for Removal of Minor Information, please state "Removal of Minor Information" in the email or letter subject line, and clearly state the following in the body of the request:
• The nature of your request.
• The identity of the content or information to be removed.
• The location of the content or information on the Platform (e.g. by providing the URL).
• That the request is related to the "Removal of Minor Information.
• Your name, street address, city, state, zip code and email address, and whether you prefer to receive a response to your request by mail or email.

We will not accept any Request for Removal of Minor Information via telephone or facsimile. Bella Medical Associates, PLLC is not responsible for failing to comply with any Request for Removal of Minor Information that is incomplete, incorrectly labeled or incorrectly sent.

Please note that we are not required to erase or otherwise eliminate, or enable erasure or elimination of such content or information in certain circumstances, such as, for example, when an international, federal, state, or local law, rule or regulation requires Bella Medical Associates, PLLC to maintain the content or information; when Bella Medical Associates, PLLC maintains the content or information on behalf of your Providers (as defined in our Terms and Conditions) as part of your electronic medical record; when the content or information is stored on or posted to the Site by a third party other than you (including any content or information posted by you that was stored, republished or reposted by the third party); when Bella Medical Associates, PLLC anonymizes the content or information, so that you cannot be individually identified; when you do not follow the aforementioned instructions for requesting the removal of the content or information; and when you have received compensation or other consideration for providing the content or information.

The foregoing is a description of Bella Medical Associates, PLLC voluntary practices concerning the collection of personal information through the Service from certain minors, and is not intended to be an admission that Bella Medical Associates, PLLC is subject to the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, the Federal Trade Commission's Children's Online Privacy Protection Rule(s), or any similar international, federal, state, or local laws, rules, or regulations.

When you set up an account with , you are creating a direct customer relationship with that enables you to access and/or utilize the various functions of the Platform and the Service as a user. As part of that relationship, you provide information to Bella Medical Associates, PLLC, including but not limited to, your name, email address, shipping address, phone number and certain transactional information, that we do not consider to be "protected health information" or "medical information".

However, in using certain components of the Service, you may also provide certain health or medical information that may be protected under applicable laws. Bella Medical Associates, PLLC is not a "covered entity" under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, Public Law 104-191, and its related regulations and amendments from time to time (collectively, " HIPAA"). One or more of the Labs, Pharmacies or Medical Groups (as defined in our Terms and Conditions) may or may not be a "covered entity" or "business associate" under HIPAA, and Bella Medical Associates, PLLC may in some cases be a "business associate" of a Pharmacy or Medical Group. It is important to note that HIPAA does not necessarily apply to an entity or person simply because there is health information involved, and HIPAA may not apply to your transactions or communications with Bella Medical Associates, PLLC, the Medical Groups, the Providers, the Labs, or the Pharmacies. To the extent Bella Medical Associates, PLLC is deemed a "business associate" however, and solely in its role as a business associate, Bella Medical Associates, PLLC, may be subject to certain provisions of HIPAA with respect to "protected health information," as defined under HIPAA, that you provide to Bella Medical Associates, PLLC, the Medical Group or the Providers (" PHI"). In addition, any medical or health information that you provide that is subject to specific protections under applicable state laws (collectively, with PHI, "Protected Information”), will be used and disclosed only in accordance with such applicable laws. However, any information that does not constitute Protected Information under applicable laws may be used or disclosed in any manner permitted under this Privacy Policy. Protected Information does not include information that has been de-identified in accordance with applicable laws.

The Medical Groups and Providers have adopted a Notice of Privacy Practices that describes how they use and disclose Protected Information. By accessing or using any part of the Service, you are acknowledging receipt of the Notice of Privacy Practices from your Medical Group and Provider(s).

By accessing or using any part of the Service, you are agreeing that even if HIPAA does apply to Bella Medical Associates, PLLC, the Medical Groups, the Providers, the Labs or the Pharmacies, any information that you submit to Bella Medical Associates, PLLC that is not intended and used solely for the provision of diagnosis and treatment by the Medical Group and Providers, laboratory services by the Labs or prescription fulfillment by the Pharmacies, is not considered Protected Information, and will only be subject to our Privacy Policy and any applicable state laws that govern the privacy and security of such information. For purposes of clarity, information you provide to Bella Medical Associates, PLLC in order to register and set up an account on the Platform, including name, username, email address, shipping address and phone number, are not considered Protected Information.

Personally Identifiable Information We Collect
We collect personal information from you so that we can provide you with a positive experience when utilizing our Website or content. We will only collect the minimum amount of information necessary for us to fulfill our obligation to you. We collect any information you provide when you use the Service, including, but not limited to:

1. Appointments: Providing your name and contact data such as your e-mail address, phone number, billing, payment, shipping, and physical address in our contact forms signifies your affirmative consent to receive a reminder that you have an appointment your initial visit, follow up visit, or lab work via phone, text, or email, and receive our newsletter.
2. Registration: Your login and password and other account ("Account") registration details such as Demographic data (such as your gender, date of birth and zip code).
3. Mobile Device: If you use your mobile device to visit, access or use the Service, then additional categories of information that we collect may include: Your name associated with your mobile device, your telephone number associated with your mobile device, your geolocation, your mobile device ID information, with your express consent, your contacts and/or contact information (e.g., names, telephone numbers, physical addresses, email addresses, photos) stored on your mobile device, with your express consent, information about third-party software applications on your mobile device (including, without limitation, general software apps, downloadable software apps, social media apps).
4. Browser Information: Computer, mobile device and/or browser information (e.g., IP address, mobile device ID information, operating system, connection speed, bandwidth, browser type, referring/exist web pages, web page requests, cookie information, hardware attributes, software attributes). Third-party website, network, platform, server and/or application information (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram).
5. Usage Activity: Usage activity concerning your interactions with the Service and/or third-party websites, networks or applications accessed through the Service (e.g., viewing habits, viewing preferences, viewing history, number of clicks on a page or feature, amount of time spent on a page or feature, identify of third-party websites, networks, etc.).
6. Processing: For processing payments and fulfilling agreements, contractual obligations, we collect billing information, including your name, address, and credit card details.
7. Payments: We may use your protected health information to facilitate payment from an insurance company or another third party. This could involve sharing your protected health information with an insurance company to obtain pre-authorization for a prescribed medication.
8. Marketing: If you submit a question through our contact form, we may use your name and email address to send marketing emails, either with your consent or if we believe we have a legitimate interest based on your inquiry. Any other information you provide when you contact or communicate with for the purpose of Identifying or creating new products, services, marketing and/or promotions for Bella Medical Associates, PLLC or the Service. Additionally, we may employ and disclose your protected health information for marketing activities. Promoting and marketing Bella Medical Associates, PLLC , the Service, and the products and/or services offered via the Service; improving user experiences with the Service; analyzing traffic to and through Service; analyzing user behavior and activity on or through the Service; conducting research and measurement activities for purposes of product and service research and development, advertising claim substantiation, market research, and other activities related to Bella Medical Associates, PLLC , the Service or products and services offered via the Service; Monitoring the activities of you and others on or through the Service; placing and tracking orders for products or services on your behalf; protecting or enforcing Bella Medical Associates, PLLC rights and properties; protecting or enforcing the rights and properties of others (which may include you); when required by applicable law, court order or other governmental authority (including, without limitation and by way of example only, in response to a subpoena or other legal process); or Bella Medical Associates, PLLC believes in good faith that such use is otherwise necessary or advisable (including, without limitation and by way of example only, to investigate, prevent, or take legal action against someone who may be causing injury to, interfering with, or threatening the rights, obligations or properties of Bella Medical Associates, PLLC , a user of the Service, which may include you, or anyone else who may be harmed by such activities or to further Bella Medical Associates, PLLC legitimate business interests). We may de-identify your information and use, create, and sell such de-identified information, or any business or other purpose not prohibited by applicable law.
9. Statements or content: Statements or content (e.g., comments, videos, photographs, images) and information about such statements or content, which you submit or publish on or through the Service or which are accessed via your public or linked social media pages (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram).
10. Co-branded Offers: Participating in a co-branded offer may involve sharing information. We will clearly indicate the data collector and applicable privacy policy. If multiple parties retain your information, we will provide links to all relevant privacy policies.
11. Consulting and Treatments: Utilize and disclose your protected health information for the purpose of consulting and administering your treatment. Photographic or video images submitted for identification or non-diagnosis or treatment purposes, including photographs of your driver’s license or passport. This may involve sharing your protected health information with other medical providers, trainees, therapists, medical staff, and office personnel actively participating in your healthcare.
12. Health and Medical Data: Health and medical data you submit for diagnosis or treatment purposes, including information in any questionnaires or surveys you complete for these purposes: previous doctors or other healthcare providers you visited, date of visit, images, or videos you share for diagnosis or treatment purposes, communications with providers, we may also receive information about you from our partners. For example, as part of our identity verification process, our vendor may send us information they have independently collected, such as your name, age, and estimated location. Our marketing partners may also send us information about you, even if you have not visited or registered on our site. We may also receive information from third parties that pay for your care or provide you with treatment, laboratory care or prescription medication, which may include, for example, your prescription history, insurance policy, insurance eligibility and coverage, and laboratory test results.
13. Public Health Risks: We may disclose your protected health information, if necessary, to prevent or control diseases, report adverse events related to medications or products, and avoid injury, disability, or death. Such disclosures may involve healthcare systems, government agencies, or public health authorities. Additionally, if mandated by FDA regulation, we may disclose your protected health information to the Food and Drug Administration for reporting adverse events, defects, enabling recalls, and other necessary actions.
14. Healthcare Operations: Utilize or disclose your protected health information to facilitate the operation of this medical practice. These activities encompass using your information to enhance the quality of care, case reviews with employees, training students, and contacting you via telephone, email, or text for remind appointment reminders. In the event that we need to share your protected health information with third-party business associates, such as a billing service, we will establish a written contract containing terms designed to safeguard the privacy of your protected health information.
15. Health Oversight Activities: We may disclose protected health information with health oversight agencies for audits, investigations, inspections, or licensing purposes. Such disclosures may be required for state and federal agencies to oversee healthcare systems and ensure compliance with civil law.
16. Research: We will not use or disclose your health information for research purposes unless you give us authorization to do so.
17. Affiliates: We may disclose your information to current or future affiliates or subsidiaries for marketing, and other purposes consistent with this Privacy Policy.
18. Workman’s Compensation: We may disclose your protected health information to workman’s comp or similar programs.
19. Lawsuits: We may disclose your protected health information in response to a court action, administrative action, or a subpoena.
20. Law Enforcement: We may release protected health information to a law enforcement official in response to a court order, subpoena, warrant, subject to all applicable legal requirements.
21. Jurisdictional Issues: The Service may only be used within certain states within the United States as described in our Terms and Conditions. Accordingly, this Privacy Policy, and our collection, use, and disclosure of your information, is governed by U.S. law.

Bella Medical Associates, PLLC does not collect or create biometric information (E.g. unique physical characteristics, such as fingerprints, facial features, or iris measurements) about you. To use some of our services, however, we may be required to verify your identity. If you are asked to submit proof of identity (such as a driver’s license or passport) we may share that and the selfie you shared with us with our identity verification partner, who may create biometric information about your face in order to verify that your selfie matches your proof of identity. Biometric information is not shared with Bella Medical Associates, PLLC and is deleted by our identity verification partner after completing the identity verification. Bella Medical Associates, PLLC may receive information extracted from your photos, such as information from your driver’s license and the confidence that there is a “match” between your two photos. We use this information to help verify your identity.

Bella Medical Associates, PLLC might collect personal and non-personal information directly from you when you visit, access or use the Service; when you register with or subscribe to the Service or any products or services available through the Service; when you "sign in," "log in," or the like to the Service; when you allow the Service to access, upload, download, import or export content found on or through, or to otherwise interact with, your computer or mobile device (or any other device you may use to visit, access or use the Service) or online accounts with third-party websites, networks, platforms, servers or applications (e.g., your online social media accounts, your cloud drives and servers, your mobile device service provider); or whenever Bella Medical Associates, PLLC asks you for such information, such as, for example, when you process a payment through the Service, or when you answer an online survey or questionnaire. In addition, if you or a third party sends Bella Medical Associates, PLLC a comment, message, or other communication (such as, by way of example only, email, letter, fax, phone call, or voice message) about you or your activities on or through the Site and/or the App, then Bella Medical Associates, PLLC may collect any personal or non-personal information provided therein or therewith.

In addition to the information, we collect directly from you, we may also collect certain information from the Medical Group and/or Providers who provide treatment or other services to you in connection with our Service. This information may include, but is not limited to, diagnoses, treatment plans (including prescription details) and notes, and is accessible and visible through certain components of the Service.

Confidential Communication
You can ask us to communicate healthcare matters in a specific way or at a designated location. We will accommodate reasonable requests that allow us to continue collecting payments and billing you.

Access to Medical Records: Access to Your Medical Records: You possess the right to access and obtain copies of your protected health information, which we use in decision-making about your care. To request your protected health information, please submit a written request to
Bella Medical Associates, PLLC 1939 E Main #1039 Albemarle NC 28001. Please note that we may charge a $50 fee to cover the time required to obtain, copy, and provide you with the requested protected health information.

Accounting of Disclosures: As part of our commitment to transparency and compliance with privacy regulations, we provide individuals with the right to request an accounting of disclosures related to their protected health information (PHI). An accounting of disclosures is a detailed report outlining instances where we have disclosed PHI from health records for purposes other than treatment, payment, and healthcare operations.

To request an accounting of disclosures, please submit a written request to our designated Privacy Officer at privacyofficer@bellamedicalassociates.com Your request will need to include the specific time frame for the accounting (up to the last six years), and we will respond within a reasonable timeframe, as required by applicable laws and regulations.

Please note that certain disclosures, such as those made for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations, will not be included in the accounting. Additionally, disclosures made with your consent or those required by law will not be subject to this accounting.

Restriction on Use and Sharing of Your PHI Request
You have the right to request limits on how we use or disclose your protected health information for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations. We are not required to agree to your restriction request but will attempt to accommodate reasonable requests, when appropriate. We will comply with your request unless disclosure is mandated by law. Please submit your written requests to privacyofficer@bellamedicalassociates.com.

Cookies and Related Technology
This Website's pages or email messages may utilize cookies, which are information files that the There are several types of cookies, including, for example, browser cookies, session cookies, and persistent cookies. Website may place on your computer to enhance functionality. Cookies may be employed by the company for various purposes, including tracking usage patterns on the website and assessing the effectiveness of advertising. While most browsers are initially configured to accept cookies, you have the option to manage them. You can erase cookies, block their acceptance, or receive a warning before a cookie is stored. Consult your browser instructions, 'Help' screen, or a similar resource to understand how to manage cookies. You may also reset your browser preferences to refuse all cookies or receive notifications when a cookie is being sent.

Analytic tools and services, which are sometimes offered by third parties, and which track, measure and/or generate information about a website's or program's traffic, sales, audience, and similar information, and which may be used for various reasons, such as, for example, statistical research, marketing research, and content ratings research, and conversion tracking. Examples of the analytic tools and services which Bella Medical Associates, PLLC might use include Google Analytics and Taplytics. Bella Medical Associates, PLLC may also use other third- party analytic tools and services. Please be advised that if you choose to block, reject, disable, delete, or change the management settings for any or all of the aforementioned technologies and/or other tracking, data aggregation and data analysis technologies, then certain areas of the Platform might not function properly.

By visiting, accessing, or using the Service, you acknowledge and agree in each instance that you are giving permission to monitor or otherwise track your activities on the Service, and that may use the aforementioned technologies and/or other tracking, data aggregation and data analysis technologies. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Bella Medical Associates, PLLC does not permit third parties or third-party cookies to access any communications you have with the Providers, or medical information that you submit to the Providers for diagnosis and treatment purposes.

Customer Service
Some Services may offer support and technical assistance through customer service centers via telephone, or e-mail.

Email Newsletter Subscriptions
To unsubscribe from our e-mail newsletters, you will need to opt out.

Unsubscribe
You may unsubscribe from our e-newsletters or updates at any time. If you have questions or are experiencing problems unsubscribing, please contact us at info@bellamedicalassociates.com.

Security
While this Website employs reasonable and appropriate measures to safeguard your personally identifiable information and prevent potential security breaches in our Websites, Services, and customer databases, it is important to note that no website, Internet transmission, computer system, or wireless connection is entirely secure. We take commercially reasonable steps to protect your Personal Data from misuse, disclosure, or unauthorized access. Your Personal Data is shared only with trusted third parties who uphold the same level of care in processing as we do.

Despite our efforts, we cannot guarantee the perpetual security of your Personal Data due to technological or security vulnerabilities. In the event of a data breach of which we become aware; we will promptly notify you.

Anti-Spam Policy
We have a no spam policy and provide you with the ability to opt-out of our communications by selecting the unsubscribe link at the footer of all e-mails. We have taken the necessary steps to ensure that we are compliant with the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 by never sending out misleading information. We will not sell, rent, or share your email address.

Notification of Changes
We may use your Personal Data, such as your contact information, to inform you of changes to the Website or its content, or, if requested, to send you additional information about us. We reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to change, modify or otherwise alter our Website, its content, and this Privacy Policy at any time. Such changes and/or modifications shall become effective immediately upon posting our updated Privacy Policy. Please review this Privacy Policy periodically. Continued use of any of information obtained through or on the Website or its content following the posting of changes and/or modifications constituted acceptance of the revised Privacy Policy. Should there be a material change to our Privacy Policy, we will contact you via email or by a prominent note on our Website.

Data Controllers and Processors
We are the data controllers as we are collecting and using your Personal Data. We use trusted third parties as our data processors for technical and organizational purposes, including for payments and email marketing. We use reasonable efforts to make sure our data processors are GDPR- compliant.

Third Party Websites and External Websites
This Privacy Policy does not address or apply to, and we are not responsible for, the privacy, information, or other practices of any third parties, including, without limitation, the Medical Group or its Providers, the manufacturer of your mobile device, and any other third-party mobile application or website to which our Service may contain a link. These third parties may at times gather information from or about you. We do not control and are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to review the Medical Group's Notice of Privacy Practices and the privacy policies of each website and application you visit and use.

Our Website include links to other websites. We bear no responsibility or liability for the content and actions of any other individual, company, or entity whose website or materials may be linked to ours. Consequently, we cannot be held accountable for the privacy of information on their website, or any data voluntarily shared by you on their platform. It is advisable to review their privacy policies to understand how they store, use, and protect the privacy of your Personal Data.

Links to and from Other Sites
This Website may include hyperlinks to, frame, or display links and advertisements related to non-company websites. This Website disclaims any liability associated with your utilization of and the content found on such external sites and advertisements.

Agreement for Processing in the United States
When users, including those in the member states of the European Union, furnish any personally identifiable information to Company, they explicitly acknowledge and consent to this Privacy Policy. This includes the understanding and agreement for the collection, storage, and processing of such information in the United States of America.

Acknowledgment of Receipt of Notice.
You may be asked to sign an acknowledgment form that you received this Notice of Privacy Practices.

Concerns
We are dedicated to protecting your personally identifiable information and welcome comments and questions about this Privacy Policy. If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at privacyofficer@bellamedicalassociates.com

Complaints
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated or that we are not complying with this Privacy Policy, please promptly file a complaint with our office. You can contact us by calling (704) 489-3408 or mailing your complaint to Attn: Privacy Policy Officer, 1939 E Main St 1039, Albemarle NC 28001. Alternatively, you may file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Upon request, we will provide you with the necessary address for filing a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.