When you sign the contract with the physician asking them to submit your claim to your insurance company, you are signing the right to give the insurance company that information.
Do you really believe that when you see your doctor today that the billing staff just sends your insurance company a note that says "Adam saw Dr. X today, please pay Dr. X $50.00"?
If you are a private pay patient(no insurance), you have privacy.
The privacy regs as written by Clinton, would have tied the hands of your physician to get payment, and you would have been legally responsible if you refused to sign away your confidentiallity for each and every visit you had.
If you are being treated for a STD, or something else that you don't want reported, You have every right in the world to tell the Doctor not to submit that bill to your insurance company for that visit only. Pay cash at the time of the visit, and you have are free.
An insurance company only has the right to your records for the claims they are being asked to pay for. You are still in control.
You are not in "control". They sell info the credit agencies like Experien and Equifax. The credit agencies sell your info to anybody with 30 bucks. I'd rather die than put up with this sort of BS.
Whatever, in connection with my professional practice or not, in connection with it, I see or hear, in the life of men, which ought not to be spoken of abroad, I will not divulge, as reckoning that all such should be kept secret. While I continue to keep this Oath unviolated, may it be granted to me to enjoy life and the practice of the art, respected by all men, in all times! But should I trespass and violate this Oath, may the reverse be my lot!
So the first thing I know about my Doctor is that he is a liar. Why should I let this person treat me?