Patients Rights & Responsibilities
Published May 16, 2009 | 
Has your patients asked for a copy of the Patient Rights and Responsibilities? Have you read them? All states should have some version of these available on your state’s Health Department website. In Florida, we can get a free copy of them at the Florida Department of Health website and they are part of our Florida Statutes. Some of those rights include: The individual dignity of a patient must be respected at all times and upon all occasions; A patient in a health care facility has the right to know what patient support services are available in the facility; A patient has the right to receive a copy of an itemized bill upon request. A patient has a right to be given an explanation of charges upon request; andA patient has the right to treatment for any emergency medical condition that will deteriorate from failure to provide such treatment. Some of the responsibilities include: A patient is responsible for reporting unexpected changes in his or her condition to the health care provider; A patient is responsible for reporting to the health care provider whether he or she comprehends a contemplated course of action and what is expected of him or her; A patient is responsible for following the treatment plan recommended by the health care provider; and A patient is responsible for following health care facility rules and regulations affecting patient care and conduct.
So, take a look at this brochure, if it is available at your medical facility. If you do not have them already printed up you probably should have them displayed as most if not all states have regulations about such things. If nothing else you can copy and print them from your state’s Health Department and have them available.
Do You Know What is in the HIPPA act?
Published April 16, 2009 | Did you know that according to the regulations Medical Information can be disclosed in some of the following situations: if required by law, public health officials in the case of communicable disease exposures, victims of abuse neglect or domestic violence, to law enforcement in the case of identifying or locating a suspect or fugitive or the health provider believes a crime has been committed, and does not apply when the proper execution of a military mission, conducting intelligence and national security activities that are authorized by law. So, if for some reason your patient’s health come into any of these categories you may have to disclose it without their consent.
Check in the links section for more information on HIPAA
Pregnancy & Insurance Coverages
Published March 16, 2009 | Today most women can get insurance coverage for themselves if they are pregnant. It didn’t use to always be like that. Around 1997 or 1998 the beginnings of the HIPAA began. It was originally, the Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act. The insurance companies were denying coverage to women who became pregnant before their waiting period was up if they were in a new job or were getting insurance for the first time. And was not allowing the newborns to be added. The Act was to help ensure that insurance could not deny coverage for certain diagnosis if the patient had continuous coverage. That is why your patients must get insurance within a certain time period after canceling one or changing jobs. The patients are issued a “statement of continuous coverage” from the old insurance to present to the new one. Those are just a few of the components to the Act but it was the beginning of changes for state sponsored insurance as well. For instance, in the state of Florida if you don’t have insurance and become pregnant you will more than likely qualify for insurance through Medicaid. The process is fairly easy to start you just have to go online and apply. The hard part will be to find an OB doctor that accepts Medicaid and is accepting new patients. But they are out there.
Generally, Medicaid will cover the newborn for at least 12 months or in some cases longer if the parent is unable to find affordable coverage. The reasoning behind it is the government wants to promote prenatal care for the mother and unborn babies as soon as possible thus increasing the odds that the baby will be born healthy and not need as much medical care in the future. That is why the baby is usually covered for a couple of years to make sure he or she receives all their immunizations shots, get regular visits to a pediatrician without cost or a small copay, to the parent who may not be able to afford it otherwise.
The principal is sound and the paperwork is not too bad. I have always encouraged our patients to seek help through whatever sources they are qualified for. It’s good for them because they are being taken care of medically and it’s good for our medical facility because we have a little bit less bad debt and a little bit more revenue than we would have otherwise.
TO OUR PREGNANT PATIENTS:
I have two other points to make before I close for today. First, for those of you who are covered under their parents insurance and pregnant. Don’t get married unless your “soon to be husband” has insurance and is able to add you right away with no pre-existing clauses. Your insurance through your parents ends the day after you get married! Second, if your are covered by your parents and not getting married before the baby is born then PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, get Medicaid or some kind of insurance for your newborn before it gets here. The coverage may not start until the day he/she is born but get the process started right because MOST all insurance will not cover a grandchild.