Get Health Information on a Family Member
There's a special form you need to sign to get around privacy rules.
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) sets strict privacy rules, which can make it difficult to get medical information about elderly parents, special-needs children or any child over age 18.
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Solution: Family members need to sign a HIPAA form titled “Authorization for Use and Disclosure of Protected Health Information.” They can usually fill out this form at the doctor’s office or hospital when they receive care, or they can sign a blanket form ahead of time and you can carry it with you to medical appointments. For more information, see www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy.
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As the "Ask Kim" columnist for Kiplinger's Personal Finance, Lankford receives hundreds of personal finance questions from readers every month. She is the author of Rescue Your Financial Life (McGraw-Hill, 2003), The Insurance Maze: How You Can Save Money on Insurance -- and Still Get the Coverage You Need (Kaplan, 2006), Kiplinger's Ask Kim for Money Smart Solutions (Kaplan, 2007) and The Kiplinger/BBB Personal Finance Guide for Military Families. She is frequently featured as a financial expert on television and radio, including NBC's Today Show, CNN, CNBC and National Public Radio.
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