Privacy Policy & Notice of Privacy Practices

Last updated: July 2026

This Privacy Policy and Notice of Privacy Practices describes how BuddMD may collect, use, disclose, and protect your information, including health information related to medical cannabis certification services.

Please read this notice carefully. It explains how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can access this information.

1. Who This Notice Applies To

This notice applies to BuddMD and the clinicians, staff, contractors, and service providers who assist in providing BuddMD services.

BuddMD provides physician-led telemedicine medical cannabis certification services for eligible patients in New York and Connecticut.

2. Information We May Collect

BuddMD may collect information that you provide directly, including:

• Name
• Date of birth
• Address
• State of residence
• Phone number
• Email address
• Government identification information, if needed for identity confirmation.
• Medical condition or reason for certification
• Medical history relevant to certification
• Certification term requested
• Payment information
• Scheduling information
• Communications with BuddMD

BuddMD may also collect limited website and technical information, such as IP address, browser type, pages visited, referral source, and analytics information.

3. Protected Health Information

Some information collected by BuddMD may be protected health information, or PHI. PHI includes information that identifies you and relates to your health, health care, or payment for health care services.

BuddMD is committed to maintaining the privacy and security of PHI as required by applicable law.

4. How We May Use and Disclose Health Information

BuddMD may use and disclose your information for the following purposes:

Treatment and clinical evaluation: To review your intake, conduct a telemedicine evaluation, determine whether certification is clinically appropriate, prepare certification documentation, and communicate with you about your care.

Payment: To process payments, refunds, receipts, chargebacks, and related billing matters.

Health care operations: To operate BuddMD, maintain records, improve services, manage scheduling, respond to patient questions, conduct quality review, and support administrative functions.

State program requirements: To submit or confirm certification information through applicable New York or Connecticut medical cannabis program processes when clinically appropriate and permitted or required.

Communications: To contact you about intake, scheduling, payment, documentation, certification status, follow-up, or related service matters.

Legal compliance: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, subpoenas, court orders, licensing requirements, audits, investigations, or government requests.

Public health and safety: To disclose information when required or permitted by law for public health, safety, abuse, neglect, serious threat, or other legally recognized purposes.

5. Uses and Disclosures Requiring Your Authorization

BuddMD will obtain your written authorization when required by law, including for uses or disclosures not otherwise permitted by this notice.

You may revoke an authorization in writing at any time, except to the extent BuddMD has already relied on it.

6. Your Health Information Rights

You have the right to:

• Request access to your health information.
• Request a copy of your health information.
• Request that BuddMD correct or amend certain information.
• Request restrictions on certain uses or disclosures.
• Request confidential communications.
• Receive an accounting of certain disclosures.
• Receive a paper or electronic copy of this notice.
• File a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated.

Requests should be sent to care@buddmd.com.

BuddMD may require identity verification before processing privacy requests.

7. BuddMD's Responsibilities

BuddMD is required to:

• Maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information.
• Follow the terms of this notice.
• Notify you if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information, when required by law.
• Provide you with a copy of this notice upon request.
• Not use or disclose your information except as described in this notice or as permitted or required by law.

8. Communications by Text and Email

BuddMD may communicate with you by text message, phone, email, or other electronic methods about intake, scheduling, payment, certification, or related services.

Text message and email communications may not be fully secure. Do not send sensitive documents or photographs unless specifically instructed. If you prefer a different communication method, contact BuddMD.

By providing your phone number or email address, you agree that BuddMD may contact you about requested services. Standard message and data rates may apply.

9. Third-Party Service Providers

BuddMD may use third-party service providers for website hosting, forms, scheduling, payment processing, email, analytics, document storage, or communications.

Where required, BuddMD will use appropriate agreements or safeguards with vendors that handle protected health information.

Payment information may be processed by a third-party payment processor. BuddMD does not store full credit card numbers on its website.

10. Website Analytics and Cookies

The BuddMD website may use cookies, analytics tools, or similar technologies to understand website traffic, improve the website, and measure marketing performance.

These tools may collect technical information such as browser type, device type, approximate location, pages visited, and referral source. Do not submit sensitive medical information through general website analytics tools.

11. Minimum Necessary

When using or disclosing protected health information, BuddMD will make reasonable efforts to limit information to the minimum necessary for the intended purpose, except where not required by law, such as certain treatment-related uses.

12. Documentation Letters

If you request a Letter of Medical Necessity or other documentation, BuddMD may prepare a letter summarizing your certification status, certification duration, and relevant medical basis reviewed during your evaluation.

BuddMD will not send documentation to an employer, court, attorney, probation/parole office, housing provider, or other third party unless you request it or authorize it, except as required by law.

Acceptance of any documentation is determined by the requesting party and is not guaranteed.

13. Minors

BuddMD services are intended for adult patients unless otherwise permitted under applicable state medical cannabis program rules and handled with appropriate consent. If you believe information about a minor has been submitted improperly, contact BuddMD.

14. Data Retention

BuddMD retains health and business records as required by applicable law, professional standards, and operational needs.

15. Complaints

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with BuddMD at:

Email: care@buddmd.com
Text: (347) 822-9973

You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights.

BuddMD will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

16. Changes to This Notice

BuddMD may update this Privacy Policy and Notice of Privacy Practices. The updated version will be posted on this page with a new "Last updated" date.

17. Contact

For privacy questions or requests:

BuddMD
Email: care@buddmd.com
Text: (347) 822-9973
Website: https://buddmd.com