Hipaa Rights Violation
hipaa rights violation
HIPAA Violation??? Need advice from REAL medical professionals!?
I would like to know if my doctor committed a HIPAA violation. I wrote a letter to my doctor stating that I was going to report him for unethical billing practices regarding a surgery that I had, that was billed to my individual insurance plan (my husband is NOT on my insurance plan). The doctor then called my work number, happened to get my husband on the phone and began to discuss the letter and the situation with him. I feel like this was a violation of my patient right to privacy. My husband did take me to the surgery and spoke with the doctor before and after the surgery. However, he’s not only my health insurance plan, and it was not HIS surgery it was mine! So what do you think????
When you first saw the doctor, you probably had to sign a form that you had been provided with a copy of their privacy policies. At that time, did you give the doctor/his staff permission to discuss issues with your husband? Also, since the doctor spoke with your husband both before and after surgery, the doctor may have had a reasonable belief that he had your consent to discuss issues with your husband.
It is unlikely that any regulatory body would take action against the doctor in this situation, unless you had specified what subjects he could and could not discuss with your husband.
