Rights about Providers and Appointments
You have the right to:
- be treated with dignity and respect;
- be protected from discrimination based on race, color, national origin, disabilityAny condition of the body or mind that makes it more difficult for the person with the condition to do certain activities and interact with the world around them., age, religion, or sex;
- get current and relevant information about your health communicated to you in a way you can understand;
- ask questions;
- make decisions about your own health and have those decisions respected;
- get a second opinion;
- know about any conflicts of interest that your healthcare provider might have, for example, a business relationship with a health insuranceA type of insurance that pays for some or all of your medical expenses.
provider; - have reasonable continuity of care, meaning that your healthcare provider will work with other providers to get you the care you need and won’t stop treating you without helping you make arrangements for other care; and,
- file complaints.
Rights about Your Personal Information
You have the right to:
- get copies of your medical records; and,
- have your personal and health information kept private.
Rights about Health Insurance
You have the right to:
- have health insuranceA type of insurance that pays for some or all of your medical expenses.
, regardless of age, disabilityAny condition of the body or mind that makes it more difficult for the person with the condition to do certain activities and interact with the world around them., or preexisting illnesses, as well as race, color, national origin, religion, or sex; - get free preventative care (for example, cancer screenings);
- understand the health insurance you enrolled in;
- request a review of your health insurance provider’s decisions about whether and how much they pay toward your medical care;
- file an appealA complaint that you can file if your insurance plan won’t cover a service or prescription or ends your coverage. of your health insurance provider’s decisions about whether and how much they pay toward your medical care; and,
- file complaints.
If you need more help, you can talk to someone at the New Mexico Aging and Disability Resource Center. Call (800) 432-2080 or TTY (505) 476-4937.