Have you ever been at the doctor’s office, and they’ve asked you to sign off on a form with the strange acronym HIPPA right at the top? Did you sit there and scratch your head wondering what in the world it was?
According to the CDC, HIPPA stands for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act which is a federal law that protects sensitive patient health information from being disclosed without the patient’s consent or knowledge.
This type of information could be your birthday, address, social security number, name, gender, your clinical diagnosis, or your medical history.
While HIPPA is a very good thing set in place to protect you, it can be difficult to face when it comes to wanting to obtain health related information about a loved one you may be caring for. You can override this by requesting a HIPPA form from the provider’s office and having yourself and your loved one sign off on the releasing of their medical information to you. This will free you to talk to their doctor about treatment plans, their diagnosis, medication, and ask questions related to your loved one’s medical care.
If you have any questions related to HIPPA or would like to a group health insurance quote, give Clevenger Insurance a call today at 574-267-2181.
