Privacy Policy

I. Introduction

The Center for Healthcare Decisions ("CHCD") values the trust and privacy of its users and other supporters. This Privacy Policy sets forth CHCD's practices regarding: (1) what personal information we collect about you online; (2) how we use that information; (3) under what circumstances we disclose it; (4) what choices are available to you regarding such information collection; and, (5) what security we use to protect such information.

II. Definitions

As used in this Privacy Policy, the following terms have the meanings indicated below:

The term "we" or "us" means CHCD.

1. The term "you" means a current or former CHCD member or other person who has provided personal information to us in connection with obtaining an CHCD product or service (e.g. a person who has purchased a book from the CHCD or a person who subscribes to an CHCD-produced electronic newsletter).
   
2. The term "personal information" means any piece of information that on its own can specifically identify a current or former CHCD member or other person who has provided personal information to us in connection with obtaining an CHCD product or service. This would include, but is not limited to, full name, postal address, e-mail address, social security number, or financial information.
   
3. The term "CHCD website" means CHCD's external website located at: chcd.org and any future websites that we may develop.
   
4. The term "third party" means a legal entity that is separate and independent from CHCD, its state and local affiliates, or any CHCD-related organization.
   
5. The term "cookie" means a small file that is placed on your computer that allows a website to store, and sometimes track, information about how you use that website.
   
6. The term "discussion forum" means an asynchronous website component that enables users to exchange ideas by posting questions and answers on relevant subjects. Discussion forums are also commonly referred to as "discussion groups," "discussion boards," "message boards," "bulletin boards," and "online forums."

III. Personal Information Collected

We may collect personal information about you from the following sources:

1. Personal Information that you voluntarily provide to us on any CHCD forms — whether online via the CHCD website or offline via traditional, hard copy forms (such as your name, postal address, telephone number, e-mail address, social security number, etc.).
   
2. Other Personal Information that you voluntarily provide to us via the CHCD website (such as an e-mail address if you subscribe to an CHCD-produced electronic newsletter or other personal information contained in an e-mail that you send to us via the feedback feature of the CHCD website).
   
3. Personal Information that we receive from our state and local affiliates or other CHCD-related organizations (such as your name, postal address, telephone number, e-mail address, social security number, etc.).
   
4. Personal Information that we receive from third parties (such as insurance claim information in connection with the CHCD Educators Employment Liability Program and publicly available voter registration information).

IV. How We Use That Information

The personal information that CHCD collects about you helps us and our affiliates and CHCD-related organizations to efficiently and effectively represent you and provide you with valuable user benefits.

V. Information Sharing

In order to provide you with efficient and effective representation and member benefits, we may share all of the personal information that we collect about you, as described in Section III above, with our affiliates and CHCD-related organizations, as well as third parties that perform services on our behalf.

Additionally, we may share any of the personal information that we collect about you, as described in Section III above, with certain third parties that share our interests or as otherwise permitted by law.

VI. Available Choices

Any personal information that you provide to us is voluntary. CHCD users may update their personal information at any time. For information on how to contact us, please visit the CHCD website at: http://chcd.org/contact-info.htm .

If you subscribe to any CHCD-produced electronic newsletter, you may cancel your subscription at any time by following the instructions at the bottom of all such newsletters. If you have any problems canceling such a subscription, please contact us at  .

VII. Your California Privacy Rights

California residents have a right under state law to ask entities with whom they have an established business relationship to provide certain information regarding the sharing of personal information for direct marketing purposes during the past year. CHCD will honor such a request coming from any person who has provided personal information to us in connection with obtaining an CHCD product or service—whether residing in California or not. Simply submit a request to us at one of the following addresses:  or CHCD Office at 3400 Data Drive, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670 , and we will respond within thirty days of receiving your request.

IX. Additional Information for Users of the CHCD Web Site or CHCD Intranet

1. Collection and Use of Non-Personal Information
   If you use the CHCD website, you provide us with certain non-personal information in addition to any personal information that you may voluntarily provide. For example, if you browse the CHCD website or download information, our operating system automatically records the following non-personal information:
   
   
   1. The Internet domain for your Internet service (such as "xcompany.com" or "xcompany.net" if you use a private Internet access account, or "yourcollege.edu" if you connect from a college or university domain);
      
   2. The type of browser that you use (such as "America Online version 7" or "Microsoft Internet Explorer 5");
      
   3. The type of operating system that you use (such as Windows or Macintosh);
      
   4. The date and time that you visit the CHCD website or CHCD Intranet and the webpages that you view;
      
   5. The address of the previous website that you visited if you linked to us from another website; and
      
   6. The address of the next website that you visit if you link to it from the CHCD website or CHCD Intranet.
      

   We use the above non-personal information to diagnose technical problems and track user interests so that we can provide content that interests you.
   
   We gather this non-personal information in the aggregate and we share it in the same manner that we share personal information, as described in Section V above.
   

2. External Links
   This Privacy Policy applies only to the CHCD website and CHCD Intranet. It does not cover any websites that are linked to or from the CHCD website or CHCD Intranet for which we are not responsible ("linked-sites"). These linked-sites will have their own policies and practices which may be different from ours. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with the policies and practices of the linked-sites especially if you provide personal information to them.

X. Effective Date, Amendments, and Consent to This Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy is effective January 1, 2010. We retain the right to amend or otherwise update this Privacy Policy at any time for any reason. By joining CHCD or using the CHCD website, you consent to the collection, use, and sharing of personal information as we have described herein. If we amend or update our Privacy Policy, we will post the changes online at the CHCD website and CHCD Intranet so that you are always aware of CHCD's current practices. You may also contact us at at any time to request an up-to-date hard copy version of the Privacy Policy.

XI. Contact Us

If you have any questions regarding this Privacy Policy, you can contact CHCD at  .