Have you heard of HIPPA?
Congress enacted the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) in 1996. The purpose of the law was to protect private health care information.
So, what’s wrong with that? Sounds like the government was trying to protect our private information, right?
Maybe.
But every legal “protection” has consequences, unintended or otherwise. And in this case, your right to privacy can kill you.
Because of HIPPA, doctors can’t tell your family about your medical condition if you have an accident or become sick. Moreover, under HIPPA, the person you appoint to make life and health decisions for you cannot make those decisions until your doctor concludes you are incapacitated.
To make matters worse, HIPPA contains harsh penalties for violation of this law. Which means, due to fear of litigation, it is often close to impossible to get a doctor to certify that a person is incapacitated.
Ask yourself if this is how you want your health decisions to be handled. If the answer is no, it’s critically important that you eliminate the effect of HIPAA as it relates to the rights of your Health Care Proxy.
How to Fix the HIPAA Problem
You need a document known as a HIPAA Release and Authorization Form (“HIPPA Waiver”). If you sign a HIPAA Waiver, you authorize all doctors, health care providers, etc. to release your medical information to your Health Care Proxy without any risk that they will be considered in violation of the HIPAA law.
Get a HIPPA Waiver – Free!
You can get a HIPAA Release and Authorization Form at no cost by clicking here.
You should do this now!