for NYC residents

The question is mainly for NYC residents.  I got a phone call from NYC Dept of Health,the person said that my case of HPC was reported to NYC Bord of Health as it requers by law.  The person wanted to intervew me , he told me that the info was got from my Dr. (he named her) and (without giving any choice of ether I wantt to be intevewd or not) asked a few private questions.  I was very upset and angry, becuase I really was not ready to discuss this matter with someone, I also did not believe that the call was made from dept of health, becuase I have never heard that the HPC case has to be reported to them.  Also, I do not like my personal information to be discussed over the phone.  I was afraid it is thift identity and someone is using my personal info.
I investigated (I called my Dr. (she did not report anything), called the lab (they did reported as they said by law requermnts).  I called to NYCDept of health and I connected to the person, who found to be doing some research (it took a long time to do so, and as I understood, he already was informed that I am looking for him.  I asked him not to bother calling again, becuase I am not willing to discuss my problems with anyone, just with my Dr.  He admitted that my willing to participate in the intervew has to come to the account, and he appologised for calling.The men said that he will get the answers from my Dr-is he allowed to do so?
Now, the questions is what they could do next - will they inform my emloyer, how legal of what thay are doing?  If they requered to do so by law -  contact my emloyer (my insurance is not from my job)?  What else I do not know about the laws about such situations in NYC?    I think this is just not right situation, if they really has rights to call me and to ask private questions over the phone? How else the Board of health could use my private information?  

[nygirl7]

First off it's HCV not HPC.  And no they cannot tell your employer or anyone - there are laws to protect you (HIPPA laws) and I would tell my doctor that you specifically do NOT want him to speak to anyone and that you have spoken to your attorney about it.

We are all reported to the health department but I have NEVER EVER heard of anyone being called like that before.  BS you have rights!

[James10500]

Ya I was pretty blown away when the county health dept called me. A  call to let me know they knew I had HCV, they also offered a free vaccine course for A,and B. It was pretty upsetting.  

[meakea]

I'm not a NYC resident...I live in Iowa...but, Mura, I can tell you that I received a very upsetting call from the local health dept when I was first diagnosed also.  At the time, I was so taken off guard with the call that I told the woman everything she wanted to know...where I had been going to the dentist, doctors, if any tattos, any piercings...AND, of course, she wanted to know if I used drugs!  That question made me cry right then and there on the spot.  I answered her honestly...NO...but she paused a very long time and then she said:  "Not even once?"  I said NO, not even once.  It was the tone of her voice that told me that she didn't believe me and I had anxiety over that phone call for weeks.  It still bothers me to think about it.

If I had had my wits about me during that phone call, I would have told her she was invading my privacy and I would have hung up.  But, as it was, I was very new to the diagnosis of HCV and vulnerable at the time.  Still makes me shiver.

[meakea]

Also...   Evidently, it's required that the doctors report HCV to the health dept but the health dept has to keep that information confidential just as a doctor does.  

[Willy50]

Hey. a very similar thing happened to me; it was almost 8 years ago.  they claimed to be from the CDC and i was distrustful, but how else would they know?  It turns out that they are required to chase down infections to possibly determine infection vectors.

In my case the doctor who had dome an antibody test never informed me that i rested positive for antibodies.  After the call I check with the useless individual and confirmed my result, switched doctors and got a PCR that conclusively confirmed infection.  

IF the CDC wouldn't have called I probably still wouldn't know I was infected.

I wouldn't worry about them sharing the info.  

I DO worry that they are anxious to label it a drug user disease;

they never asked me how many times i had been in a hospital, been given shots.
...how many times my teeth had been worked on and by who etc.


willy

[nygirl7]

Wow I'm glad nobody called me - well maybe it wasn't a familiar number so I never answered I was good that way never know who might be on the other end.  I just got a letter.

[Bali05]

I got a letter in the mail.

[Mura123]

what kind of letter did oyu get in the mail?  From where?  Were you requeired to answer to the letter or it is voluntary?

[aj7538]

I live in ny. You do not have to tell anyone.ny girl is right you are protected under hippa. The labs are required to notify the health dept. They usually send you a letter. That is it. Do not I repeat do not give out any personal info to anyone especially on the phone. Aj7538

[cheesenrice]

i never got either that im aware of

[spectda]

I never got a letter or a call in the past 13 years since diagnosis. Screw them and hang up, WTF!
I Iive in California, we love hcv here :)

[Bali05]

You do get reported to the health dept. , but that is it.
If anyone would call me I would tell them to stick it.......
In NYC you do that with most callers you do not know anyway :-)
I go as far as even only to tell other Drs on need to know basis
since there is far too much bias about the disease.

b

[nygirl7]

The letter I got just simply said it was reported to the health department since it was an infectious type disease but that is all. I wasn't asked any questions or asked to call anyone. I was pretty unnerved about it and doubt I would have told them anything anyway.

[hcvJames]

I wouldn't worry about it. It's not like your entire medical records will be computerized and hackable .. err .. accessible from anywhere in the world or that laptops containing vital pieces of information on 100's of thousands of people are being lost or stolen all the time.

[nygirl7]

Exactly James how many computers are thrown out every day because they dont' work...with all their data on them.  Ditto blackberries etc......

[pjhep80]

i got that phone call when i was first diagnosed also

[roostermom]

I live just outside NYC and never got a call. I found out I had HCV in the late 80s when I got a letter from the Red Cross telling me I should stop being a blood donor because they had detected "Non A - Non B"" hepatitis antibodies. They didn't even know what Hep C was back then. I went to my primary care Doc who said it didn't mean anything and that I shouldn't worry about it. Needless to say, a few years later when a gastro guy gave me the dx, I dropped my primary Doc like a hot potato.