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Imagine being a parent to a teenager. They celebrate their 18th birthday and have a doctor’s appointment shortly thereafter. What would you do if you were told that now that your child is legally an adult you can no longer have access to their medical information without their consent? Would you think, well, that’s valid, or would you try to argue with the medical professionals until they agree to violate HIPAA and tell you everything?

I hope it’s the first option because otherwise you’d be the exact kind of parent that the pharmacist in this story is ranting about.

Let’s read all about it.

HIPAA, 18-year-old patients and their parents

There is something about HIPAA that makes parents of young adults temporarily insane.

And because I never talk to patients (or their parents) in person, they feel more than OK to be extra-obnoxious.

Here’s what OP would like to tell parents.

Sorry, Dad. I can’t discuss your daughter’s medical information with you without her consent. You see, it’s not just a good idea, it’s the law. And I’m not willing to break the law and jeopardize my license and the pharmacist’s license with a PHI breach even though I can practically hear you foaming at the mouth when I say, “Sorry, I’ll need authorization from the patient in order to release that information.”

Your towering rage and your demand to speak with my supervisor RIGHT NOW do not faze me. She will repeat what I just said about HIPAA, hang up the phone, then come back to my desk to tell me, “Good job keeping our patients’ information private.” Because neither she nor I are at all intimidated by parental tantrums.

You see, your daughter is an adult now. I know you can’t stand the thought of her having a private life but she is in fact free to get birth control, or treatment for any STDs, and not tell you. But we need her to feel safe telling us because our pharmacist is more interested in not killing her than in controlling her.

Wish I could say the same for you, you abusive, controlling bastard.

I can see how this would be annoying for literally everyone. Parents naturally have a hard time letting go and realizing that while they could have access to information when their child was 17, that changes when they’re 18.

Let’s see how Reddit responded.

An EMT weighs in.

This person shares what they find the most annoying.

Another person can relate to this situation.

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If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a longtime bank customer who walked away after the teller gave them a hard time.

This is good to know.

I can understand why the parents are upset. One day they have access to the information, and the next day they don’t. While it seems black and white for the medical community, it’s a drastic change for parents that can be hard to accept.

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Author

Jayne Elliott

Jayne Elliott | Contributing Writer, Life & Drama

Jayne Elliott is a contributing writer and editor for TwistedSifter specializing in human interest stories, internet culture, and family dynamics. With over 12 years of editorial experience in digital publishing, Jayne excels at analyzing complex online communities and transforming viral social debates into thoughtful, highly engaging narratives.

Rather than simply aggregating internet drama, Jayne brings a sharp, empathetic editorial eye to everyday dilemmas. She has a unique talent for unpacking the nuances of pop culture and online conflicts, providing readers with relatable, well-researched commentary.

Based in California, Jayne spends her free time outside the newsroom exploring theme parks with her family or beach-combing along the coast.

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