What is the name of the Business Associate Agreement that Degree Wellness franchisees must enter into?
Degree_Wellness Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
This Business Associate Agreement ("Agreement") is made and entered into this [Date] by and between:
WELLNESS PROVIDER THERAPIES, P.A., a professional medical association ("Covered Entity"), with offices located at 7901 4th St N, Ste 300, St. Petersburg, FL 33702 and [MSO], [Type of Corporation] ("Business Associate"). with offices located at FRANCHISEE ADDRESS.
(Covered Entity and Business Associate are sometimes individually referred to herein as a "Party" or collectively as the "Parties.")
RECITALS
WHEREAS, Business Associate has been engaged to provide certain services to Covered Entity pursuant to a separate agreement (the "Services Agreement"), and, in connection with those services, Covered Entity may need to disclose to Business Associate, or Business Associate may need to create on Covered Entity's behalf, certain Protected Health Information (as defined below) that is subject to protection under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, Public Law 104- 191 ("HIPAA"), the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, Public Law 111-005 ("HITECH Act"), and regulations promulgated thereunder by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to implement certain privacy and security provisions of HIPAA (the "HIPAA Regulations"), codified at 45 C.F.R. Parts 160 and 164; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to the HIPAA Regulations, all business associates (as defined at 45 C.F.R. § 160.103), including Business Associate, of Covered Entity, as a condition of doing business with Covered Entity, must agree in writing to certain mandatory provisions regarding the privacy and security of PHI.
Source: Item 23 — Receipts (FDD pages 66–257)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Degree Wellness's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the Business Associate Agreement that franchisees must enter into is called the "Business Associate Agreement". This agreement is made between Wellness Provider Therapies, P.A., referred to as the Covered Entity, and the [MSO], referred to as the Business Associate. The agreement is entered into on a specific date and outlines the responsibilities and obligations of both parties concerning Protected Health Information (PHI).
The agreement states that the Business Associate will provide services to the Covered Entity, and in doing so, the Covered Entity may need to disclose PHI to the Business Associate, or the Business Associate may need to create PHI on the Covered Entity's behalf. This information is protected under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH Act), and related regulations.
The agreement emphasizes that all business associates of the Covered Entity must agree in writing to certain mandatory provisions regarding the privacy and security of PHI as a condition of doing business with the Covered Entity, in accordance with HIPAA regulations. This ensures that all parties involved are committed to protecting sensitive health information and complying with relevant laws and regulations.