#83 How to Protect Patients from the Government (and Yourself Too)

Skill Level: Intermediate

Cloak-and-dagger but with stethoscopes

If you’re a provider, healer, therapist, clinic worker, herbalist, doula, med student, acupuncturist, or literally anyone trusted with someone’s health information, here’s your wake-up call: HIPAA is crumbling, and the state is actively trying to use your charts, emails, and records as evidence. You need a resistance plan—stat.

If you’re a patient? You deserve to know how to protect yourself from medical surveillance, too. Because this dystopia doesn’t come with a trigger warning.

Why This Guide Matters

In the post-Roe world, medical privacy isn’t a right—it’s a liability. State governments have subpoenaed clinic records, demanded period app data, and arrested people based on what they told their doctor. Providers are being criminalized for doing their jobs. Patients are getting doxxed for seeking care. And the federal “protection” that is HIPAA? It’s now full of exceptions big enough to drive a subpoena through.

Real-World Example

A Walgreens pharmacist in Louisiana was forced to hand over information about a patient’s abortion pill prescription. The patient? Reported. The pharmacist? Silenced.
A hospital in Texas turned over the medical records of a teen who miscarried. The teen’s mom? Prosecuted for “aiding” the abortion.
Meanwhile, the government is literally building internment-style “rehabilitation camps” for unhoused and mentally ill people—using diagnosis data and treatment records to justify confinement.

This isn’t hypothetical. It’s happening now.

How to Protect Patients (If You’re a Provider):

🧾 Minimize what you record. Document only what’s legally required. Vague, non-specific language saves lives. Instead of “abortion follow-up,” say “reproductive health consult.”
🔐 Use secure communication tools. Switch to encrypted email and messaging for internal communication. No more Gmail threads about patient cases.
🚫 Don’t cooperate without a warrant. Learn the difference between a request and a legally binding subpoena. Train your staff not to fold under pressure.
🧑‍⚖️ Know your state’s shield laws. Some states protect providers from out-of-state prosecution. Some don’t. Learn which side you’re on—and what to do if you get served.
👥 Join a professional resistance network. Groups like ReproLegal Defense Fund and Doc Network offer legal guidance, rapid response, and solidarity.

How to Protect Yourself (If You’re a Patient):

📱 Delete non-secure health apps. Period tracker? Gone. Mental health diary? Only if it’s encrypted and local.
🩺 Use aliases or P.O. boxes when seeking sensitive care. Many mutual aid clinics allow anonymous visits or sliding-scale access.
📄 Request limited records be shared. You can formally ask providers not to send your records unless required. Do it in writing.
🚨 Don’t overshare. Yes, it’s unfair. But oversharing about medication, sex, substance use, or mental health can be used against you if you live in a hostile state. Be strategic.
📍 Know your clinic’s policies. Ask before you book. If they won’t protect your info from police, book somewhere else—or bring an advocate.

Kitty’s Resistance Reminder

Providers aren’t just caregivers anymore. You’re also shields, gatekeepers, and lifelines. And patients? You’re not just consumers—you’re potential targets in a surveillance state. The resistance protects its own, and that includes knowing when to shut up, encrypt, and document like the feds are watching. Because they are.

Today’s Action

🔥 If you’re a provider: Audit your documentation practices this week. Hold a team meeting about privacy protocols. Post a “We Protect Our Patients” sign and mean it.
🕵️‍♀️ If you’re a patient: Find a resistance-minded provider or mutual aid health collective in your area. Start asking questions. Privacy is your right—but you have to fight for it now.

Source List

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