HIPAA folly
It would seem that HIPAA has become the catch phrase for everybody to deny everybody else information. It also serves to prove how utterly stupid the staff of a doctors office can be when it comes to what information they can and cannot share.
Case in point:. We had a patient come in with a script, toss it on the counter and tell us they’ll be back in about 2 hours to pick it up. When I finally get to it, I notice we are out of stock. We called the phone number on record and its defunct. I called the Dr’s office and ask the receptionist to look up the most current phone number for the patient.. She tells me she cannot because of HIPAA. ” Look, I gave you the name, the DOB, the DR name AND the Drug the doctor just prescribed, AND why I need the information. YOU most CERTAINLY Can provide the phone number of the patient. I am a health care professional.” She put me on terminal hold then finally relinquished the phone number.
Case II. Pharmacy Chick is doing a DME billing for a Medicare claim and we need the ICD-9 code. I called the office and asked for the diagnosis code for the billing. Phone jockey tells me its protected information. WTF? Check again Missy..
Case III. “Dad” somehow doesn’t know the date of birth of one of his “kids” he is filling a script for. Guessing failed the insurance test. So I called the office to get it myself. The medical assistant gives it to me but then asks me..” Can I get in trouble for telling you?” I said “No, only if you post it on your facebook page!”.
Case IV. Rx fails the DOB test on the insurance claim. The date of birth is correct per the patient, so I called the insurance company. It was a billing for a medicare item. the rep refused to give the the date of birth they had on file. He insisted that the patient had to call to “correct the problem” then we can rebill. FAIL. I broke the news to the patient. I feel bad for whomever he unloaded on at the office. He was not pleased.
Any of you pharmacists out there have any other stories to share about HIPAA failures?