We are committed to protecting your personal health information in compliance with the law. We keep a record of health care and other services we provide you. You may ask us to see and copy that record. You may also ask us to correct your record. We will not disclose your record to others unless you direct us to do so, or unless the law authorizes or compels us to do so. You may see your record or get more information about it at Cowlitz Family Health Center.

We offer a sliding fee scale for patients who have no health insurance, and whose family income is below 200% of the federal poverty level (below 250% FPL for family planning services). The sliding fee conversion table is updated annually in April as new federal poverty level data become available. A copy of our sliding fee conversion table is available to patients on request.

• Fees for Family Planning services slide to 100% discount. No minimum fee per visit is charged to those patients whose income falls below 100% of the Federal Poverty Level.
  
• Fees for Primary Care services slide to 100% discount. A minimum fee of $15 per visit is charged to those patients whose income falls below 100% of the Federal Poverty Level.
  
• Fees for Dental A services (diagnostic, X-rays, emergency palliative, preventive, and most restorative) slide to 100% discount. A minimum fee of $25 per visit is charged to those patients whose income falls below 100% of the Federal Poverty Level.
  
• Fees for Dental B services (endodontics, periodontics, pontics, crowns, surgical, prosthetics, and space maintenance) slide to 50% discount. Fees for patients whose income falls below 100% of the Federal Poverty Level are discounted 50%.
  

Application for sliding fee discount is voluntary; patients with no insurance coverage may elect to pay full fee, regardless of their income.

The Family Health Center has the responsibility to provide patients with easily understood information and the opportunity to decide among treatment options consistent with the informed consent process. Specifically to:

Discuss treatment options with a patient in a culturally competent manner, including the option of no treatment at all.

Ensure persons with disabilities have effective communications with members of the health care system in making such decisions.

Discuss current treatments a patient may be undergoing, including those alternative treatments that are self-administered.

Discuss risks, benefits and consequences to treatment or no treatment.

Give patients the opportunity to refuse treatment and to express preferences about future treatment decisions.

Discuss the use of advance directives -- both living wills and durable powers of attorney for health care -- with patients and their designated family members.

Abide by the decisions made by our patients and/or their designated representatives consistent with the informed choice process.

Patients have the right to considerate, respectful care from all members of our health care team.

Patients have the right to communicate with health care providers in confidence and to have confidentiality of their individually identifiable health care information protected. Patients also have the right to review and get copies of their own medical records.

Take responsibility for maximizing healthy habits such as exercising, not smoking, and eating a healthy diet.

Become involved in decisions about your health care.

Work collaboratively with health care providers in developing and carrying out agreed upon treatment plans.

Disclose relevant information and clearly communicate wants and needs.

Use the Family Health Center’s internal complaint process to address concerns that may arise.

Avoid knowingly spreading disease.

Recognize the reality of risks and limits of the science of medical care and the human fallibility of the health care professional.

Be aware of a health care provider’s obligation to be reasonably efficient and equitable in providing care to other patients and the community.

Show respect for other patients and Family Health Center staff.

Make a good faith effort to meet financial obligations.

Abide by administrative and operational procedures of the Family Health Center.