New privacy laws no longer allow doctors to share medical information even with spouses and family members without written authorization?

Health and other insurance companies won’t share information with anyone, including spouses and family members (even if one spouse gets their insurance through the other spouse’s place of employment) or allow anyone to act as your advocate with doctors, hospitals or even with the insurance companies themselves in times of crisis or emergency without written authorization?

Married or not, governmental agencies will not share information about social security, Medicare, disability, Medicaid or other benefits or allow someone to act as your advocate to be certain that you are receiving all the benefits to which you are entitled even during an emergency or crisis without written authorization?

Married or not, utility, cable or satellite television, telephone and other companies won’t allow anyone whose name is not on the account to discuss or dispute billings, request repair or other services, etc. without written authorization?

Banks, credit unions, investment companies and other financial institutions aren’t allowed to share account information with anyone not listed on an account, even in an emergency or crisis, without written authorization.