Learn if Rehab Appears on Medical Records or a Background Check
You should never feel ashamed for seeking help with drug or alcohol addiction. Unfortunately, the stigma surrounding addiction can make you wonder, “Does going to rehab go on your record?
Other related questions also come up, such as: Can I face consequences at work for getting treatment? Is there any risk of losing my job?
There are laws in place to protect you if you seek treatment for substance use disorder. This information won’t show up on background checks and it must be disclosed directly (or by giving authorization for medical records) for anyone to be aware of it.
Purpose Healing Center understands the stigmas surrounding addiction and the importance of keeping treatment private. While we strictly adhere to legal guidelines, Purpose goes above and beyond in keeping treatment confidential.
Our clients’ privacy and well-being are our top priorities.
Keep reading to learn more about this pressing question, and remember you can reach us by confidential call at any time for immediate support.
Does Substance Abuse Treatment Show Up on Medical Records?
Addiction treatment for drugs or alcohol only shows up on medical records when you choose to disclose that information to your doctor. Even then, those medical records are kept private. They cannot be shared with other doctors without the patient’s consent.
The simple answer is that legal protections prevent alcohol or drug rehab from appearing on medical records. This information cannot be accessed without your permission or a court order from a judge.
While you do not have to share information about drug or alcohol treatment with doctors, it can be helpful to disclose this information with your primary doctor. Getting sober will start to reverse some of the effects of long-term drug or alcohol abuse. However, not everything can be reversed.
Sometimes, health problems show up years down the road, long after getting sober. Being honest with your health care providers ensures accurate diagnoses.
Understanding the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, better known as HIPAA, was established in 1996. The federal law sets certain standards for protecting patients and their medical records.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services upholds these standards, providing federal regulations and protections for those seeking treatment at a drug or alcohol rehab center.
This includes protecting personal health information from being accessed by unauthorized parties. It also prevents healthcare professionals from sharing information about a patient without their knowledge or consent.
Does HIPAA Have Any Exceptions?
HIPAA laws do have some exceptions. For example, if you are in immediate danger of harming yourself (or someone else), protected health information may be disclosed as needed. However, this information may be limited in accordance with the HIPAA privacy rule.
Some other cases where rehab information might be made available include law enforcement investigations and cases of child abuse. Medical records may also be requested during a criminal investigation or when a court orders it.
Your health insurance company can also be made aware of a rehab stay if they are paying for it, though they also have confidentiality and privacy laws in place that must be followed. You should not let this deter you from seeking help, as this will not be placed on external, public-facing records of any kind.
Does Drug and Alcohol Rehab Show Up for Insurance Purposes?
Following the establishment of the Affordable Care Act, your insurance company is required to offer health plans with substance abuse coverage. If you use insurance to pay for alcohol or drug rehab, then there may be a permanent record kept to determine coverage in the future.
Typically, only insurance firm personnel can access this information. Insurance providers also have laws and regulations that must be followed so this information will remain private.
Rehab treatment can only be used for health determinations. Health information cannot be disclosed to outside parties, keeping individuals in recovery (like you!) protected.
How Purpose Healing Center Protects Your Privacy
When you complete an intake appointment at our rehab facilities, you’ll provide the names and contact information of anyone you’d like to be informed of your recovery and rehabilitation. This might be relatives, friends, your significant other, or anyone else you are comfortable sharing your recovery from drugs and alcohol with.
You do not have to put a single person on this form. Since we require written consent to even tell someone you are attending alcohol or drug rehab at our facility, leaving this form blank completely protects privacy.
Any person not on this form will not be able to find out if you are getting treatment at our rehabilitation facility. Even if immediate family members were to call, acting concerned, we would not confirm or deny that you are one of our clients.
This is an important part of anonymity. It allows our clients to seek help and feel confident that this regulation keeps them protected.
Your recovery journey is your own. While support can be helpful, only you can choose when to invite others to share in your triumphs and struggles with drugs and alcohol.
Does Rehab Show Up on a Background Check?
No, seeking treatment in outpatient or inpatient rehab will not show up on a background check or permanent record.
Background checks include a person’s criminal history, not substance abuse history. If you choose to seek treatment before you end up in legal trouble, you will have a clean background check.
Seeking addiction treatment is information protected by HIPAA, meaning that we can only share this information with entities that you have authorized us to share this information with.
Current and future employers will not have access to this information through a background check. Employment laws keep you protected.
Are Drug Abuse Patient Records Private?
Generally, alcohol and drug abuse patient records are kept private. However, information might be released directly to treating medical staff if you have a medical emergency.
Any disclosed medical information would be offered on an as-needed basis. It would also be limited to the people treating you, upholding the precedent set by confidentiality laws.
There may be a permanent record of emergency room treatment, but privacy laws keep you in full control.
Can I Be Fired for Seeking Addiction Treatment?
Legally, you cannot be fired for seeking addiction treatment alone. However, there are still many stigmas surrounding addiction and employers may use this knowledge to fire you for other reasons.
This is why we strive to protect our client’s identities. We ensure details of rehab stay private unless we have written permission from you to disclose this information.
For example, some employers request that employees seek treatment for addiction if they have an incident at work. This is meant to encourage people who need help to get it, without fear of consequences.
Some reasons that you can get fired include showing up intoxicated to work, being late or absent, poor performance, or violating workplace policy.
However, the Americans with Disabilities Act, established to protect those with disabilities from being punished in the workplace, protects addiction as a disability.
Additionally, if you have worked for long enough for a company or organization that meets the criteria, the Federal Medical Leave Act (FMLA) can protect your position for up to 12 weeks, an you need not inform your employer of any reason at all for taking such a leave.
Get Confidential Help Overcoming Addiction at Purpose
At Purpose Healing Center, we understand the complications our clients might face if information about substance abuse treatment were leaked to the public. For this reason, protecting your privacy regarding treatment at our rehabilitation facility is a top priority.
Reach out to our team for answers to your questions about HIPAA regulations, confidentiality practices, and how we protect your privacy at Purpose today. Our rehab center is different. We go above and beyond for our clients!
Stop letting the stigma attached to addiction hold you back from getting help. To start the road to health and recovery today, please call us confidentially now.
480-579-3319