Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I suppose for a few celebs and super private people it matters, but for the most part it is just another paper to sign and creates obstacles for people to access their own information and to help family members. I wish there was a way my family and I could opt out completely because I really do not care.

It sounds to me like you do not actually understand HIPAA based on those complaints. Your family CAN grant you permission to access their medical information. If they have not done so, it's because they don't want you to have access to that stuff.

It sounds like you want to revoke your right to privacy because you are lazy about paperwork. That is not a good reason to degrade privacy laws generally speaking.

I do understand it and I have done the paperwork but it is required for every single provider. You can’t even call the effing dentist about your college kids cavity w/o it but they will let you pay. It is just another obstacle. Add in the fact that providers all interpret it differently. Some will accept a standard HIPAA waiver some have their very own. Some require everything to be faxed like it’s 1993 and some won’t email because they don’t have a secure server. Your 90 year old father has a fall and the hospital they take him to isn’t the one that has the waiver - time wasted and stress in an already time critical and stressful situation. Have a kid out of state in the ER? They won’t tell you anything until you fax the waiver. Then you need separate waivers for any follow up care. Trying to manage care for kids or for seniors out of state is hard enough without having to manage these extra things. I don’t want to degrade anyone else’s right to privacy but I’d happily abandon mine.

To the other poster, I wouldn’t care if the doc talked about my stuff because everyone has something going on. None of us are that special. I also don’t think most people would like to hear about my twisted testicle or whatever.

Considering the weight of the issues at hand, it is entirely reasonable for practitioners to request a yearly review and reaffirmation of the HIPAA waiver and designations. Patients life circumstances may have changed but they have not considered changing the waivers as to who gets access to their information etc.

Yes it can be annoying especially if one has multiple health providers as most elders do - but this is so very very much a first world problem.

Anonymous wrote:I suppose for a few celebs and super private people it matters, but for the most part it is just another paper to sign and creates obstacles for people to access their own information and to help family members. I wish there was a way my family and I could opt out completely because I really do not care.

It sounds to me like you do not actually understand HIPAA based on those complaints. Your family CAN grant you permission to access their medical information. If they have not done so, it's because they don't want you to have access to that stuff.

It sounds like you want to revoke your right to privacy because you are lazy about paperwork. That is not a good reason to degrade privacy laws generally speaking.

Anonymous wrote:My mom said it was so politicians with AIDS could keep it secret

Ha, you should revive the thread "crazy s*** my mom says" to add this..

So if your neighbor was a doctor, you wouldn't care if he looked at your health info and then shared the info about your twisted testicle with the rest of the neighborhood?

I know that there is a greater purpose to HIPAA, but I just shake my head when I sit in a treatment room waiting for the doctor and, because of thin walls, open doors, and booming voices, can hear every word the doctors are saying to other patients. And don’t get me started about hospital prep and recovery spaces! So much for medical privacy!

Anonymous wrote:I'm beginning to hate it as well now that I'm helping to manage my aging parents medical issues. Just one more piece of red tape to navigate through.

They can fill out forms to make you someone all their docs can talk to. However, I know in our practice, I have to fill out the damn forms yearly and that is ridiculous. Should be able to say it's permanent until revoked

Anonymous wrote:I'm beginning to hate it as well now that I'm helping to manage my aging parents medical issues. Just one more piece of red tape to navigate through.

If you have power of attorney it shouldn’t be a problem. The patient has the right to waive it if there are specific family members they designate to share it with.

Anonymous wrote:I suppose for a few celebs and super private people it matters, but for the most part it is just another paper to sign and creates obstacles for people to access their own information and to help family members. I wish there was a way my family and I could opt out completely because I really do not care.

Whatever issue you’re having, it’s not due to HIPAA. All that law requires is that your provider can’t share your medical information without your consent.

I'm beginning to hate it as well now that I'm helping to manage my aging parents medical issues. Just one more piece of red tape to navigate through.

My mom said it was so politicians with AIDS could keep it secret

Totally disagree. I love HIPAA

OK, I personally love that medical providers aren't allowed to sell my medical records to data aggregators

I suppose for a few celebs and super private people it matters, but for the most part it is just another paper to sign and creates obstacles for people to access their own information and to help family members. I wish there was a way my family and I could opt out completely because I really do not care.