HIPAA —Your New Medical Record Privacy Rights

By Kelly Urbon*, M.A., LCPC

 

New privacy rules seek to protect your medical information.

It will come as no surprise that medical care has changed dramatically in the last decade or two. In an attempt to control escalating costs, the health care system has been transformed from one that relied primarily on one-on-one interactions between patients and clinicians, to a system of integrated health care networks and providers. Huge databases have been constructed to facilitate these networks. Massive amounts of information about patients are collected and stored in the process of evaluating and paying claims.

 

Win this environment, more and more individuals have access to your personal health information. In response, Congress sought to enact legislation that would begin to set standards for the transmission and storage of certain health information. The result is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, HIPAA for short.

HIPAA particularly addresses issues of privacy and security. The security rule ensures that health care plans and providers protect the confidentiality and privacy of health care information that is electronically collected and transmitted. The privacy rule includes standards that generally protect the confidentiality of your information in the office, and mandates that each health care provider issue a statement regarding your privacy rights. If you have visited a doctor, a pharmacist or a hospital since April 14, you probably received a Privacy Statement.

As a provider of mental health services, Centennial Counseling falls under the provisions of HIPAA. You will notice a few changes in our office procedures as we comply with the new rules. First, in an attempt to make sure that we are releasing information only to the proper parties, office staff may ask you for some personal information that will verify your identity. Second, you will notice that a Privacy Notice is posted in each of our offices, and will be distributed to all of our clients. Please read this document and bring any questions to your therapist. In it, you will find information about how we strive to secure your information in the office, who has access to your mental health records, types of information we might be required to disclose without your permission, and how you can access your files.

 

We sincerely wish that the amount of paperwork could be reduced. Initiating a counseling relationship can take courage, and is often precipated by a crisis or painful event. We know that in those first moments in our office the last thing you may want to deal with is a stack of papers. But despite the inconvenience, the time you take to carefully understand the counseling relationship and your rights, will set the stage for a truly safe and helpful counseling experience.

 

Rest assured that even before HIPAA, the State of Illinois has long mandated very strict standards for the protection of mental health records. Centennial staff have always treated your information with the utmost respect and care, and will continue to do so in the future.

 

Kelly sees clients in the Yorkville office*
The Yorkville office supports Yorkville, Oswego and surrounding areas.

 

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