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Who has to know about my HIV status?
#158835 - 08/18/05 06:15 PM
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I got a phone message from my county health department.
Why are they calling me? Does my HIV status have to be reported to them? I told them I didn't want to speak to them until I speak to my doctor first. (doc is on vacation until next week)
How confidential do they keep my information? Thanks!
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Laws vary from state to state; some require only AIDS cases be reported but many require HIV infection reporting for tracking and funding. Chances are your status was reported somehow, but maybe not by name. Why don't you call them and see what they say? You don't have to answer any questions. They might be calling you because someone listed you as a contact and they want to let you know you've been exposed to something. If you get uncomfortable you can always end the call and talk to your doctor before calling them back.
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Thanks alot for your response. The call I got specifically named me, my doctor and the month of my test result.
I didn't give any information and only deferred them to my doctor's office. I guess it was just the idea of the health department calling me that got me so rattled. Doc comes back from vacationn next week so I'll follow-up with him. Thanks again for taking the time to respond. Hope all is well with you.
Hudsonjet
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WHATT! They left all that on an answering machine?! Find yourself a lawywer familiar with HIPAA and sue the crap out of them. What if someone else had picked up the message? If they said they were the health department, named you, named your doctor, and said something about a test date on an answering machine, that is a "reportable event" under HIPAA.
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debtex
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Legend
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Reged: 03/21/05
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Posts: 846
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it sounds as though from what I read, the poster "spoke" to the health department, and said they defferred them to the doctors office. (yes, at first "phone message" was said). but then it is stated that "I defered them to my doctors office" because of not wanting to speak to them.
Am I wrong in the way I am reading it. because if that is that case, then yes, it is ok for them to speak specifically to the patient. and it could be one of a million things. Have you ever tested positive for syphillis? I know the health dept needs to follow up w/ treatment for that as well.
good luck,
prayers,
debbie
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I posted the original question. The health department did in fact speak to me and I confirmed my identity. When they ask for additional information to confirm my identity I said I didn't want to speak to anyone on the phone without speaking to my doctor first. Since then, I did speak to my doctor and he said that I should go ahead and speak to them. I still don't want to talk to them---I would rather they send me a letter or something. Apparently in Texas HIV is reported to the health department. Sorry if I wasn't clear on my initial question.
Thanks to all for responding.
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I'm in Texas, too. They never called me. I wonder if it varies from county to county? Let us know what happens 'cause now I'm really curious.
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ScotCharles
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Legend
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Reged: 05/06/05
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Loc: Los Angeles
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Once you are diagnosed with HIV your name, social sucurity number, date of burth, place of residence, etc are reported to the CDC, who then tracks you for the rest of your life. Some states encode your information, but the Federal Government has placed pressure on those states to cease encoding.
The information you give the CDC is confidential and is not available to those without a need to know. In particular, health insurance providers are precluded from obtaining this information.
It is very important that you inform everyone with whom you are about to have sex of your HIV status. Failure to do so and to take precautions to prevent your partner becoming infected could result in civil damage awards or criminal prosecution. In some jurisdictions, intentionally exposing someone to your bodily fluids, such as spitting at them in anger, can result in civil damages or criminal charges.
ScotCharles
--------------------
Life is a river.
Carpe diem.
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