WILL MY PARENTS FIND OUT?

If you are 14 YEARS OR OLDER, the State of Washington requires that patient confidentiality MUST be maintained by a healthcare provider and his or her assisting medical staff. There are strict consequences in the law if someone breaks this trust.

Confidentiality comes from the fact that you were seen by a healthcare provider for a reproductive or sexual health matter. Whether you are seen for a pelvic exam, for birth control or to get pregnancy, HIV or STD testing, this information cannot be shared with anyone, including your parents or guardians. All test results are confidential information.

If you use your parent’s or guardian’s health insurance, there’s a chance they could find out what types of services you received when seeing a healthcare provider. This is because people who have a health insurance policy are entitled to see the services the insurance company is being paid for.

This is not only legal; it is required documentation among many insurance companies. If this is a concern, talk to your healthcare provider and/or the billing staff at the healthcare provider’s office.

They may be able to reduce their service fees for you so you could pay for your visit yourself without submitting a claim to insurance. You can also visit our clinic finder to get a referral for other free or low-cost testing options.