Hippa Requirements

[+420Atheist]

A lot of my clients in my full time job are health care companies and have strict HIPPA requirements. Do caregivers have to meet the same HIPPA requirements?

[JohnB RPh]

[LansingAreaCaregiver]

Talk to an attorney. It really depends on a lot of circumstances including how much you know about their medical conditions, what records you keep, how involved you are in their treatment, whether you keep records electronically. Really a complex question. The short answer (from my attorney) is that if you are only providing medical marijuana, don't keep records about the patient's medical condition, and don't keep any records or make any electronic transactions (like credit card sales) then you don't need to be HIPPA compliant. If you are keeping info about a patient's medical condition, provides services above and beyond strictly providing medical marijuana, and/or make electronic transactions, then you likely would need to be HIPPA compliant.

[greenbuddha]

Just like 'Lansing' said, check with an attorney, but I don't believe a MMJ caregiver is 'legally' providing a 'health care' service that would fall under the HIPPA guidelines.

 

Under HIPPA, as you probably already know (but others might not) 'health care' providers have to keep ALL health and personal information private and if in written form held in a safe and locked place, and if the 'health care' provider is sending out PHI (personal health info) they have to tell the person receiving the 'health services' that info is being sent.

 

If the PHI is sent electronically the info has to be sent over a 'secured' system only to others that have also been informed to keep the PHI private , and of course PHI records have to be kept for a specific amount of time for possible future use.

 

HIPPA is a Federal law that States try to follow... since the MMJ law is not 'valid' under Federal law... I (not a lawyer) can't see where a ' MMJ caregiver' would have to follow HIPPA guidelines.

 

But again, if it's important to you... check with an attorney... and of course expect to be billed for the time and I personally wouldn't expect any better answer than you'd get right here on this 'site'... but...

 

Bon Chance, my friend... (the only French I know... just trying to impress:)

[+420Atheist]

I would not call myself overly concerned but I did want to hear with others thought. The only concern I had is a lawsuit from a patient for releasing their name to LEO as a patient you are providing meds for. If you are a doctor and did that without a warrant you would be in violation of HIPPA.

 

The contract I got from this site looks pretty good. I might add something about allowing the release of patient name and contact information to LEO only if it is expressly requested by LEO.

 

So far the only patient I provide for is my wife and hopefully myself soon. However I have been considering helping others if the risk is acceptable.

[Zombiefied]

I would not call myself overly concerned but I did want to hear with others thought. The only concern I had is a lawsuit from a patient for releasing their name to LEO as a patient you are providing meds for. If you are a doctor and did that without a warrant you would be in violation of HIPPA.

 

The contract I got from this site looks pretty good. I might add something about allowing the release of patient name and contact information to LEO only if it is expressly requested by LEO.

 

So far the only patient I provide for is my wife and hopefully myself soon. However I have been considering helping others if the risk is acceptable.

I would never give out my CG contact info, why does LEO, or anybody else, need it in the first place?