Privacy policy

The short version

• We do not sell your personal information.
• Reading our guides and news does not require an account.
• If you subscribe to The Weekly Brief, we use your email only to send that newsletter until you unsubscribe.
• We use limited technical data to keep the site secure and understand what content helps advocates.

Who we are

patientadvocates.io publishes plain-English guides, reference pages, and news for people navigating insurance, billing, patient rights, Medicare, Medicaid, and related healthcare issues. We are an educational resource—not a law firm, clinic, insurer, or government agency.

Information we collect

When you browse the site

Like most websites, our hosting and infrastructure may automatically receive technical information when you visit a page—for example, your browser type, device type, approximate region, referring page, and the pages you view. We use this information to operate the site, diagnose errors, and understand which topics are most useful to readers.

When you subscribe to the newsletter

If you sign up for The Weekly Brief, we collect the email address you provide. We may also record the date you subscribed and basic delivery metrics, such as whether messages were opened or links were clicked, so we can improve the newsletter.

When you contact us

If you email us or submit a form, we collect the information you choose to send—such as your name, email address, and message contents—so we can respond.

How we use information

We use the information described above to:

• publish and improve guides, reference pages, and news coverage;
• send The Weekly Brief to subscribers who asked for it;
• measure site performance and fix technical problems;
• respond to questions, corrections, or feedback; and
• protect the site against abuse, spam, and security threats.

We do not use your information to make automated decisions that affect your legal rights or healthcare access.

When we share information

We do not sell or rent your personal information. We may share limited data only when needed to run the site:

• Service providers — such as email delivery, hosting, or analytics vendors that process data on our behalf under confidentiality obligations.
• Legal requirements — if we believe disclosure is required by law, regulation, legal process, or to protect the rights, safety, or security of our users or the public.
• Business changes — if the site or its assets are transferred as part of a merger, acquisition, or similar transaction, subject to this policy or a successor policy with notice.

Cookies and similar technologies

We may use cookies, local storage, or similar technologies to remember preferences, keep sessions secure, and understand how readers use the site. You can control cookies through your browser settings. Blocking cookies may affect some site features.

How long we keep information

We keep newsletter addresses until you unsubscribe or ask us to delete them. Technical logs are retained only as long as needed for security, troubleshooting, and aggregate reporting, then deleted or anonymized.

Your choices

• Newsletter: every Weekly Brief includes an unsubscribe link. You can also email us to opt out at any time.
• Access or deletion: you may request a copy of personal information we hold about you or ask us to delete it, subject to legal or operational limits.
• Do Not Track: we do not currently respond to browser Do Not Track signals because there is no widely adopted standard.

Children's privacy

patientadvocates.io is intended for adults, caregivers, and advocates. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us personal information, contact us and we will delete it.

Links to other sites

Our guides and news articles link to government agencies, insurers, hospitals, and other third-party sites. Those sites have their own privacy practices. We are not responsible for how they handle your information.

Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards to protect information. No website or email system can guarantee perfect security, so please use caution when sharing sensitive health or financial details with any organization online.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy when our practices change or when laws require it. When we make material changes, we will revise the date at the top of this page. Continued use of the site after an update means you accept the revised policy.