I went to by doctor yesterday for my 6 month check. He showed me the form. There were numbers on the top. Space for name address phone number diagnosis space . on the side were a list of covered diagnosis and corresponding numbers he wrote the number of Depression in the space. Under treatment there was a space and on the side options with numbers he wrote the number for medication check up in the space then at the bottom it states Other information. in this spot he wrote the words will not be disclosed without an active release form signed by client and insurance company persuent to HIPPA Privacy Law. and then he signed his signatiure. My therapist agency also needs my signature every six months on her form for the insurance company. Again she does not go into detail . Diagnosis - PTSD, Dissociative Identity Disorder (in the space for scale she writes 9) Depression. Then in treatment area we list 4 goals to work on and then she and I both sign and date it. Thats it no details on spefic session talks and so on. Insurance companies DO NOT need to know (And since HIPPA was enacted they CAN NOT know with out the clients permission) what is said and done in sessions just that their money is going where it is supposed to go. Those insurance companies that are requiring more can be and should be reported to the nearest Civil Rights Office for investigation.

ANY ONE can report ANY agency for breach of this law and the Civil Rights Office WILL investigate to make sure the comany has the privacy law promently displayed and is following the law.

The Civil Rights Office governing HIPPA for Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and parts of California is located in Seattle Washington. Person to Contact - Sarah Brown. From personal experience they did a terrific job. My complaint against DHS caseworker Cynthia Garnero-Stocker was acted on in a very timely manner during the time Civile Rights was investigating I had also had the district supervisor investigating for the state. Between the two investigations Oregon DHS must now promentenly display the privacy law (which they were supposed to have been doing but weren't) and Cynthia Garnero Stocker was found to have been breaching HIPPA privacy law, breach of state and federal mental health laws and rights of ethics, Harrassment and making untrue statements in court hearings and to others on my case. She was removed from my case, put on administrative leave while her other files were investigated and she lost her state license and was fired. She can no longer work for the state of Oregon. So you see I know what HIPPA is and the laws surrounding HIPPA, Clients rights and various agencies - therapeutic, physical and insurance. If you are with these such agencies that are still requiring more information without active release forms my suggestion is to find a way to come up to code before your agency gets reported by an upset cleint. As Cynthia Garnero and the state of Oregon found out irt is not fun when HIPPA catches up with you.