How to set up and use health care proxies

It’s easier than ever to manage your health care online, but things can get more complicated when you’re dealing with the care of a child, family member or other person. In these situations, a health care proxy can be a highly effective tool to help you assist in that person’s care more effectively.

A health care proxy allows a person (the proxy) to see the medical information of someone else through their own online account. With proxy access to another person’s information, it can be easier to assist in that person’s care.

Proxy access can be set up between any two trusted people, and it’s most commonly used for family members. For example, a parent could be a proxy for their minor child, or an adult could be a proxy for their spouse or elderly parent.

Maintaining patient confidentially is essential in health care. It builds trust between patient and provider, improves communication and gives patients more control over who has access to their medical information. With proxy access, only medical information is shared – insurance information is not. Proxy access can be revoked at any time by the person whose information is being shared (if that person is 18 years old or older).

What kind of patient information can someone with proxy access see online?

Proxies for patients 12 years old or younger can see almost everything about the minor’s medical information.

Proxies for patients who are 13 through 17 years old have a more restricted view of the minor’s medical information. Proxies for patients in this age range can:

• Schedule appointments for the patient (but can’t see appointment information after scheduling)
• Review immunization records
• Review certain test results (like COVID-19 tests, drive-up strep tests and drive-up flu tests)
• Send and receive messages
• Review letters

How do proxies work at our care group?

We’ll walk you through the process to request or share health care proxy access at our clinics. These processes are unique to our organization. It’s important to note:

• At this time, we’re only able to share information about care received across our care group.
• If you don’t receive care with us, you’ll need to establish a medical record in our health system to become a proxy.
• If you’d like to set up proxy access to information about care received elsewhere, please contact the organization that provided care.

How do I request or share access to a health care proxy?

Across our care group, we’ve made it easy to establish a health care proxy once you log in to your account. Once logged in, go to Account Settings and select “My proxy access”. The process varies depending on the age of the patient. For patients under 18, you can request access as the first step. Patients who are 18 or older must share access to another person before they can become a proxy.

View our proxy access FAQs (PDF) for detailed instructions on how to request or share proxy access.

Why is a proxy’s view limited for patients who are 13 through 17 years old?

HealthPartners is required to follow state and federal laws that protect a person’s privacy, some of which give minors certain privacy rights. These laws taken together have shaped our policies and determine what online features are available electronically to proxies of minors.

Can proxy access change or expire?

Across our care group, proxy access will change the day before the minor turns 13 (for minors whose proxy was established when they were 12 years old or younger). On that day, proxy access will become more restricted as described above.

For minors who are 13 through 17 years old, proxy access will end the day before the minor turns 18. An 18-year-old can share proxy access again by creating their own online account and filling out the proper form.

For patients 18 years old or older, proxy access expires 10 years after it’s established. When proxy access expires, the patient can share proxy access again by filling out the proper form in their online account.

How do I revoke another person’s proxy access at HealthPartners and Park Nicollet?

Patients ages 18 years old or older can revoke proxy access at any time. For assistance with revoking access, call our web support team at 952-853-8888 or 877-726-0203 (toll free). We’re available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT, Monday through Friday.

How do I end my own proxy access to another person’s information at HealthPartners and Park Nicollet?

Proxies can end their access at any time. For assistance with ending access, call our web support team at 952-853-8888 or 877-726-0203 (toll free). We’re available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT, Monday through Friday.

Can multiple people have proxy access to a patient?

Yes, a patient can have more than one person as a proxy. Separate access requests must be submitted for each proxy.

Can someone have proxy access to multiple patients?

Yes, a person can act as a proxy for more than one patient. Separate access requests must be submitted for each patient.

For things like appointment reminders and alerts, will proxies get the same notifications patients do?

Not exactly. For patients 12 and under, proxies will get appointment reminders and alerts, not the patient. For patients 13 through 17 years old, we don’t currently send appointment reminders. Proxies of patients 18 and older will get the same reminders and alerts the patient does.

Can proxies see health insurance information?

No. HealthPartners members do not have the ability to request or share proxy access to their insurance information. But policyholders automatically have limited access to their child or adult dependent’s information, including:

• The ability to print and order ID cards for all dependents.
• Full access to health plan claims for dependents 12 and younger.
• Access to claim dates, total cost of services and amounts applied to the family’s deducible and out-of-pocket limits for dependents 13 and older (including adult dependents).

However, the provider and visit description are not available.

What if I have another question?

If you have other questions, we’re here to help.

Call our web support team at 952-853-8888 or 877-726-0203 (toll free). We’re available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT, Monday through Friday.