Privacy and Data Rights (HIPAA)
Your medical privacy rights and how to keep your health information safe
Why This Matters
Understanding your privacy rights is extremely important. These rules protect your personal health information and give you control over who can see your medical records. Knowing these rights helps keep you safe and protects your privacy.
Your Medical Privacy Rights
HIPAA protects all your personal health information. This includes:
- Your medical records and health history
- Bills and payment information
- Conversations about your care
- Any information that could identify you
Under HIPAA, you have important rights about your health information:
- You can see your medical records
- You can ask to fix mistakes
- You can control who sees your information
- You can file complaints if your rights are violated
Understanding HIPAA Protections
Your Specific Privacy Rights
What You Can See:
- Medical and billing records
- Lab results and X-ray reports
- Prescription records
- Treatment notes and care plans
How to Ask:
- • Write a request
- • Say which records you want
- • Choose paper or electronic
- • Show your ID
Time and Cost:
- • 30 days to get your records
- • Small copying fees allowed
- • Electronic records often cheaper
- • Free to search for records
Real-Life Privacy Scenarios
Scenario: Family Member Asks About You
Situation: Your adult child calls the hospital asking about your condition after you were admitted.
Your Rights
- • You control who gets information
- • You can say yes to specific people
- • You can limit what is shared
- • You can change your mind anytime
Hospital's Rules
- • Cannot share without your permission
- • Must check who is calling
- • Can only share if you can't speak and it helps you
- • Must write down what was shared
Scenario: Employer Asks for Medical Information
Situation: Your employer asks your doctor for details about your medical condition to figure out work accommodations.
HIPAA Protection
- • Doctor cannot share without your written permission
- • You control what information is shared
- • Permission must be specific and have an end date
- • You can limit sharing to only what's needed
Best Practices
- • Only share what's needed for work
- • Set an end date on permission
- • Keep a copy of what you signed
- • Talk to HR about your rights
Scenario: Immigration Officers Contact Hospital
Situation: Immigration officers contact a hospital asking for information about a patient's treatment and presence.
Strong HIPAA Protection
- • Hospital cannot share information without your written permission or a court order
- • HIPAA protections work for everyone, no matter your immigration status
- • Hospital should talk to a lawyer before sharing anything
- • You have the right to know if information was shared
Filing Privacy Complaints
Every hospital and doctor's office must have a privacy officer to handle complaints.
Why File Here:
- • Faster solution possible
- • Talk directly with provider
- • May stop future problems
- • Can file here AND with federal government
What to Include:
- • Detailed description of what happened
- • Names of staff involved
- • Date and time
- • What you want to happen
How to Contact
Ask your healthcare provider for their Privacy Officer's contact information. It should be in their privacy notice or at the front desk.