Location: Nevada
Hello, I have an undocumented relative who would benefit from medical assistance to manage her hypertension. She has resided in the state for a considerable amount of time.
I am okay with going through the steps to get her the medication she requires without the insurance. My question is – would we run the risk of legal issues, deportation included, if we were to seek medication for her condition?
I am happy to include any other information that would help shine light on the issue.
Comments
Not a lawyer, but there is no reason to believe that seeking out medication would increase the risk of deportation any more than going about day to day activities in one’s community.
Your relative does not need to disclose their undocumented status to their doctor, nurses, or pharmacist in order to receive medical care. While there are limited situations in which a medical provider could disclose a patient’s immigration status to law enforcement / ICE that are unlikely to apply here, HIPAA generally protects against disclosure of patient information without the patient’s authorization.