It’s one of those many papers you get when you go see your doctor or other medical professional, The Notice of Privacy Practices. If you are like me you probably don’t read it all the way through, it’s just another piece of paper I feel like I have to sign, another law in our health care system. Well let me tell you… boy was I wrong in thinking that!!

In starting Quiet Water Counseling I am now having to read it ALL. All the laws and regulations on top of laws and regulations, and they all have to do with how you are treated.

You probably know the basic stuff, that you have a right (by law) to receive a copy of your medical record, you have a choice about who your medical provider talks to about your condition, and that your information might be shared to better treat you.

But did you also know that medical professionals can share all your health information with your health insurance plan to get payment? For some reason this has always bothered me. I guess I’m kinda old school like that, not wanting to share someone’s personal information with some stranger I don’t know. I get it though, does it really matter that my health insurance company gets access to my weight or blood pressure readings, probably not.

But there are somethings that I don’t want to share. There might be somethings that you might not want to share either. And I think that we all should have a right to keep certain things private. If you want to read my Notice of Privacy Practices you can find it on my website at www.QuietWaterCounseling.com. And please let me know if you have any questions.