Many people do not like the idea of their private medical records being exposed for all to see – particularly when it relates to their sexual health. Because of the doctor patient privilege you should not have to worry about your doctor revealing your private information. If he or she does then you likely have the right to sue.

Patients are also protected with the HIPAA Privacy Rule. This ensures each individual patient’s privacy rights. The HIPAA Security Rule concerns electronic health information. This rule is intact all across the United States. Medical and hospital personnel are not allowed to share your electronically stored records or personal information with anybody who is not qualified to receive the information.

The Privacy Rule is balanced so that the disclosure of health information is permissible as long as it involves patient needs and care. The Office enforces the HIPAA Rules for Civil Rights.

Despite health privacy laws, there are still many individuals who are rightly concerned about the privacy of medical records. Whether it is compromised databases, overreaching insurance companies or some other snoopy party there are many possible threats. Would you really want anyone to find out what you are allergic to? That could pose a significant health risk if they decided to act nefariously.

HEALTH RELATED FINANCIAL RECORDS

HIPAA does not cover everything. Generally, your financial privacy and records, as well credit card transactions do not fall under the privacy policies. Financial companies and even creditors can still find information about your financial records. The doctors you pay, where you fill your prescriptions and perhaps much more.

Due to the Gramm-Leach Bliley Act, financial organizations and insurance companies can still operate as a single entity. What you do get is a notification about the sharing policies of such institutions. That said, financial institutions are supposed to provide you with the opportunity to opt-out of third party information sharing.

 Unfortunately, a many people do not know this. And in any case, if they are operating as a single entity they may be able to legally share your financial information with their insurance division or subsidiary.

If you do not want the privacy of your medical records, or financial transactions related to them, to be discovered then you will need to take proactive action to protect your privacy. You could always try paying with cash.

If there is any part of the hospital or doctor’s office visit that the insurance company will not pay for then you could pay for the remainder with cash or business credit card in the name of an LLC.

 Many doctors’ offices will give discounts to patients paying with cash because it eliminates their need to pay the credit card company’s transaction fees, deal with potential collection companies with bad debts, file an insurance claim, etc.

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Another thing you can do is order your prescription medications online. Online pharmacies can be particularly helpful if you have prescriptions for potentially embarrassing conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome or STDs. Perhaps you want birth control pills and do not want your parents or roommate to know.

One solution is to place your order with a qualified online pharmacy. Look for websites with logos such as VIPPS, IMPAC, CIPA, and Pharmacy Checker. Verify that the website from which you make your purchase has a valid license in its home state. You do not want to get compromised drugs that could be dangerous due to low quality.

USE CASH OR BITCOINS

Bitcoin is a growing community in which people trade and sell items using a virtual peer-to-peer encrypted and decentralized currency. Since there is no checking account, credit or debit card, or Paypal involved therefore you will not have to worry about your privacy being compromised.

And you can always obtain financial privacy with Bitcoins. For example, Eupillz in the European Union or The Swiss Online Pharmacy in the United States, both accept bitcoins.

  You can use this virtual currency whenever you buy things like contraceptives or gels. Then it is much more difficult to trace the transaction back to you compared to alternatives like paying with a credit card or Paypal. This could help protect you against identity theft.

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It also eliminates the need to buy these items at your local drug store since you might be too embarrassed to buy them in public under the surveillance of a video camera whose footage it archived to eternity. It could be particularly embarrassing if your father-in-law, or someone else you know, is the pharmacist or cashier by coincidence.

CONCLUSION

There are significant protections of health privacy in American law. But many of these protections do not extend to your financial transactions for those health services. Therefore, you need to take proactive steps to protect your privacy by using tools like cash or bitcoins.

Hopefully, you now have a better idea about privacy of medical records,  and how it can help you to take control of and protect your financial privacy. And remember:

  ALWAYS go that extra mile to protect your personal information by implementing stealth tactics from sources like How To Vanish The Book, The Mini-Guide To Financial Privacy or A Lawyer’s Take On BitCoin And Taxes.