Talking to a parent's doctor: what HIPAA allows
Can I talk to my parent's doctor?
Often, yes. HHS says a provider can share with family who are involved in your parent's care, as long as your parent doesn't object.
HHS says a provider or health plan “can share your information with family or friends if:”
- “They are involved in your health care or payment for your health care,”
- “You tell the provider or plan that it can do so,”
- “You do not object to sharing of the information, or”
- “If, using its professional judgment, a provider or plan believes that you do not object.”
What that looks like
HHS gives an example: “If you do not object, your doctor could talk with the friend who goes with you to the hospital or with a family member who pays your medical bill.”
In practice, going to appointments with your parent, with your parent there and happy for you to hear, is the plainest case. The simplest step is for your parent to tell the doctor’s office that it can talk to you.
What it doesn’t mean
The doctor is allowed to talk to you, not required to: does the doctor have to tell me anything?
More questions caregivers ask
- Do I need to be on my parent's HIPAA form?
- Can the doctor talk to me if my parent can't give permission?
- Does my parent's doctor have to tell me anything?
- All the questions
From Centis, a free care notebook you talk to. This is general information from HHS’s own pages, not legal advice; state law can make a difference.
Further reading
- Family Members and Friends (opens in a new tab), from the US Department of Health and Human Services: when doctors can share information with family under HIPAA