You have a variety of legal rights relating to the medical care and treatment that you receive from your doctor, a hospital, or any facility.
Among these rights are:
You have the legal right to be provided certain information about the treatment a medical professional recommends for your illness, injury, or medical condition.
For instance, if your doctor recommends that you take a particular medication, you have the right to information about:
Likewise, if your healthcare provider recommends that you undergo a surgical procedure, you have the right to information about:
Essentially, you are entitled to all of the necessary information about the course of treatment that your healthcare provider recommends, as well as any additional information that you might request.
As long as you are not mentally incapacitated, you have the right to make decisions about the medical treatment that you want or don’t want to receive. You have the right to decide whether to take a particular medication, whether to undergo surgery and/or whether to begin a specific medical treatment.
Unless you sign a written release of medical information form, your healthcare provider cannot share your medical information with anyone, even your spouse. There are some exceptions, but in general, you are entirely in control of your medical information, including:
However, there are some circumstances in which the law requires you to disclose personal medical information about yourself to third parties. For instance, you usually must permit your healthcare provider to give an insurance company certain information about the medical services and/or treatment when you file a claim.
This article is intended to be helpful and informative. But even common legal matters can become complex and stressful. A qualified health insurance lawyer can address your particular legal needs, explain the law, and represent you in court. Take the first step now and contact a local health insurance attorney to discuss your specific legal situation.