insurance and hipaa law

how much information can your insurance(i have medicaid/public insurance) give the psychiatric hospital? last time i was there i was involuntary and the insurance told my doctor/social worker about my other hospitalizations and how i had been hospitalized 18 other times since i was 6.

i always thought this was a violation of hipaa laws to release this information unless i sign for it. is it different if i am involuntary?

and my main question is...if i go to a regular medical hospital for an issue that is not psychiatric, can/will my insurance tell the hospital about the psychiatric hospitalizations?

I just found your post sitting here unanswered. Sorry for the delayed response.

When hippa rolled out and the aca went into effect, I recall one of my doctors asking me to bare with them as they were updating their computers. Electronic access was going into effect. I think it's my primary that receives my information from my neurologist and that's where my info is centered. As he leaves the computer screens faced inwards in the exam room, it's easy to glance at what's in my file. He only had my primary stuff and my neurologist. I don't think that he links up to my gyn nor pdoc. Oh wait, he does receive my mammogram reports, i think.

Might be worth asking your doctor what exactly it means for your case. It's a worthwhile discussion.

Here's the hhs website to look at.

http://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-individ...ers/index.html

""Who Can Look at and Receive Your Health Information

The Privacy Rule sets rules and limits on who can look at and receive your health information

To make sure that your health information is protected in a way that does not interfere with your health care, your information can be used and shared:

For your treatment and care coordination""

"Investigate your hidden assumptions."-Cornel West

You raise a good question, Anna. I would love to know the full answer. I don't think my past should be an open book to every future practitioner I see.