General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: I get HIPAA, but sometimes it sucks. My Grandfather died this morning. [View all]Honeycombe8
(37,648 posts)her medical records, I think, on a "need to know" basis. If you read those long HIPPA releases, the care providers are allowed to release records to other care providers and insurance companies, even if the patient doesn't permit it. There's other language in there about the reason the care providers can do that, but I forget what it is.
The last time I signed one of those I noted the language that gives the care provider the right to release the records to other entitites that it deems necessary for my treatment, the payment of bills, or whatever.
It basically prevents them from releasing your records & info to other family members, unless you give authority for it, to your employer, and people like that.
People are declared mentally unstable, etc., without their consent quite frequently, I think, even w/o reviewing their prior medical records.