Posted by yxibow on September 19, 2006, at 23:07:07
In reply to insurance sharing info w/ shrinks, posted by med_empowered on September 19, 2006, at 18:32:27
> does anyone know what kind of info, if any, insurance shares with shrinks? and..do they send it automatically, or should the shrink request it?
>
> im considering going to a shrink after a long time of not going to one. i dont want to have to re-live med trials all over again...will the shrink know what I've taken?You must generally sign a document consent form with your psychiatrist that allows the release and collection of information for their files and if you are using insurance the insurance company will have information as well upon signature of said form.
This does not mean you have to relive med trials, that would be bad medical practice of your new psychiatrist. You would probably sign a form, or the above form would include transference of records from your prior psychiatrist to your current one.
This link is a very simple summary of HIPAA OCR information.
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/consumer_rights.pdf
For more information, peruse http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/
In general it means that your employer cannot have access to your personal information other than aggregate health insurance statistics stripped of personal identifiable information -- the law is complex and convoluted but is the best that we have and believe me, HIPAA was a lifesaver for obtaining insurance personally as it forces insurance companies, after COBRA is exhausted, to sell you at a set ceiling, a policy even if you are denied of preexisting conditions. They may not be the best out there but they are a stopgap, and insurance is primarily frankly there these days to give you X million dollars if you are in the ICU.
poster:yxibow
thread:687479
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060919/msgs/687561.html