[cassellsam114]

I had one, but quit due to not finding therapy helpful. Do they keep my stepparents number because it was used as emergency number if I get a serious attack. I see my psychotherapist in public in occasion usually when I drive, I dont want him to call my stepparents if he sees me take weed, or if I discuss guns with a friend in a car or something. Or say im a smoke this clown, you know joke around witj a friend.

Also when are psychotherapists allowed to appear in courts, as I see them alot appearing in clients courts

Calling someone for their personal habits is not the same as calling in an emergency.

An emergency number is so they know who to call if you have to be rushed to the hospital or in the event odf some other such emergency.

A healthcare provider is FORBIDDEN from discussing someone's health with anyone except for another healthcare provider unless the patient has given permission to do so. How old are you anyway?

Healthcare providers are required to keep your records. (at least here)

A psychiatric professional often appears in court when a patient must be certified.

[pegasus]

Data protection laws mean that your information is confidential and by law has to be kept for a certain number of years after termination. It is only shared with your permission and someone would have to officially apply to see the details of your information.

[amandalouise]

whats kept on your medical records, yes everything you gave them (names addresses, phone numbers ...) stays with your files regardless. most states legally have to keep records for a certain amount of time usually it ranges between 2 and 10 years. this way a client can even after they no longer receive treatment can contact them for copies of their files and if a client decides later on to see another treatment provider or someone in the same agency all that is needed is filling in a release of information form and that file can be copied. it also comes in handy for the police because if someone commits a crime and its proven that crime was committed due to mental problems the sentence for the crime can take that into consideration.

[iwonderaboutstuff]

Whatever you gave as emergency contact info is still on file, as long as that file is maintained. How long that is depends on whether it's a private provider or via an agency. Since you are not in that provider's care, it's unlikely they would ever know if you're experiencing an emergency. An emergency generally means you're unable to make decisions regarding your own care. For example, if you broke a leg and were conscious, a hospital would set it and send you on your way; they wouldn't call anyone unless you specifically asked them to. That assumes you're over 18 in the US.

As a general rule, therapists are adverse to appearing in court and do so only when subpoenaed. The exception to that is in the case of juvenile and domestic court, and even then it's rare and only happens upon request, doesn't even mean they actually testify. Another exception would be if a therapist's client asked them to appear on their behalf.

[December2015]

I recently applied for life insurance and a clause in the release of information / disclosure - stated that all records , even psychotherapy notes , can be requested and taken into consideration for approving my life insurance . This seems to me to be over the line - I don't even know what my therapists notes are . How much health information are we required by law to disclose and to whom ?

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by December2015

I recently applied for life insurance and a clause in the release of information / disclosure - stated that all records , even psychotherapy notes , can be requested and taken into consideration for approving my life insurance . This seems to me to be over the line - I don't even know what my therapists notes are . How much health information are we required by law to disclose and to whom ?

yea it does seem a bit unfair and going over the line from our side but when thinking about it from the other side ...the insurance company side...when someone has life insurance that insurance company will be handing over money to others upon your death, they want to make sure, as much as humanly possible that you are not going to die tomorrow, if a person dies before they make even a years worth of payments on that insurance plans its the insurance company that forks out more money than they are taking in. they want to be sure like any other company they are going to be able to pay their own bills for their company, not shell out more than they are taking in.

I think of it this way, Im not about to just hand over thousands of dollars to someone else with out knowing a few things about that person and they will be able to pay me back at least a portion of that money.

experiment done in one of my college finance classes... look at what you have for money, assets property now decide how much of that money, assets, property are you willing to part with knowing there is a possibility of not getting that money back. decide what your interview process documentation and requirements needed for someone to receive money from your own bank account upon their death.

my own answer was the person better be in dire straights before I hand over thousands of bucks that I wont see ever again. I had a new respect for life insurance companies who run this risk of someone may die before they have a chance to pay their premiums equal to what the policy will pay out to the deceased relative.

[amandalouise]

I forgot to add, in reference to your question of how much do you need to disclose, thats a personal choice for americans that said i do know of some situations where because of lack of disclosure the life insurance policy's become invalid (its a small print disclaimer where under certain circumstances the policy will become null and void)

for me I do a full disclosure, that way I can be assured that when I die (lets face it everyone dies at some point) my wife and children will be taken care of.

[December2015]

Originally Posted by amandalouise

yea it does seem a bit unfair and going over the line from our side but when thinking about it from the other side ...the insurance company side...when someone has life insurance that insurance company will be handing over money to others upon your death, they want to make sure, as much as humanly possible that you are not going to die tomorrow, if a person dies before they make even a years worth of payments on that insurance plans its the insurance company that forks out more money than they are taking in. they want to be sure like any other company they are going to be able to pay their own bills for their company, not shell out more than they are taking in.

I think of it this way, Im not about to just hand over thousands of dollars to someone else with out knowing a few things about that person and they will be able to pay me back at least a portion of that money.

experiment done in one of my college finance classes... look at what you have for money, assets property now decide how much of that money, assets, property are you willing to part with knowing there is a possibility of not getting that money back. decide what your interview process documentation and requirements needed for someone to receive money from your own bank account upon their death.

my own answer was the person better be in dire straights before I hand over thousands of bucks that I wont see ever again. I had a new respect for life insurance companies who run this risk of someone may die before they have a chance to pay their premiums equal to what the policy will pay out to the deceased relative.

Thanks for your reply . I think I was skating around the issue of exclusions based on someone being in treatment and if this in itself would be enough to exclude one . I don't expect to die in the near future but I would have an issue with being denied coverage because I'm seeing a psychotherapist . And that therapist sharing personal information about me to an insurance company . If I would disclose to a priest - say in a confession - that I had thoughts about suicide I wouldn't expect that he would disclose that to an insurance company or would the company ask a priest for that information . Knowing that a therapist could disclose this to a business would make me feel I would trust them less with personal information .