You will be expected to bring proof of insurance and other medical records to a doctor’s appointment. You will also need to complete different types of paperwork to protect your privacy and ensure proper care and billing.

As a new patient, a medical practice will usually ask you to complete the following paperwork before or during your first appointment:

  • Patient intake form: This will collect personal information such as your legal name, contact details, date of birth, and emergency contacts.
  • Medical history form: This will ask about current symptoms or concerns, past diagnoses, surgeries, and hospitalizations, known allergies, medications, vaccinations, supplements you take, family health history, and some lifestyle habits like tobacco and alcohol use. The information can help the healthcare professional understand your health background and provide the care you need.
  • Health insurance form: You’ll provide your insurance provider’s name, policy number, and group number. The office will also ask for a copy of your insurance card and identification card. The information will allow the office to bill your insurance company and determine what costs may be your responsibility. If you don’t have health insurance, the office may ask you to sign a document that says you are 100% responsible for the services you receive and upon receiving them. It may be a good idea to ask the practice if they provide financial assistance or payment plans.

Depending on your reason for the visit and the type of doctor you’re visiting, some practices may also ask you to fill out additional forms, such as mental health or pain checklists.

A medical practice in the United States is legally required to give you virtual or paper documents to sign, including:

  • HIPAA privacy notice and acknowledgement form: This document explains your right to privacy, and your signature confirms that you have received a copy of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
  • Consent to treat form: By signing this document, you authorize the healthcare professional to examine and treat you. A doctor may not agree to see you if you don’t sign this form.
  • Financial responsibility and billing forms: A medical practice will explain its billing and payment policies in a short document. You will be asked to sign this to confirm you understand you are responsible for paying for any services you receive that an insurance company will not pay.
  • Authorization to release medical records: This is an option document that lets the practice know who, if anyone, could have access to your medical records. The document also authorizes the practice to request previous medical records from other healthcare professionals you’ve seen before.

Paperwork for caregivers, guardians, and non-English speakers

You may need to provide additional paperwork if you attend a medical appointment on behalf of others, such as your parents or children.

If you’re taking a child to a doctor’s appointment, you may need to sign a parental or legal guardian consent form for treatment. In some cases, you may also need proof of guardianship or custody if you are a caregiver or babysitter.

If you attend on behalf of an older adult, you may need to bring a healthcare proxy or medical power of attorney document.

For non-English speakers, free language assistance will be provided if you have Medicare or Medicaid. Otherwise, it may be a good idea to ask if the medical practice has paperwork in your native language or if someone in the office is fluent in it.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), medical practices must provide reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities. These may include sign language interpreters, braille paperwork, and support communication devices.

You can check which papers or information you need to bring with you to a doctor’s appointment when you first set it up. Typically, you’ll need:

  • a government-issued photo ID
  • health insurance card(s)
  • a list of current medications and supplements with the frequency and dosage for each
  • recent test results (as directed by the medical professional)
  • referral forms (if required)
  • copay (your out-of-pocket financial responsibility, established by your insurance plan)

You may not need to bring all of the above or bring the information to every doctor’s appointment. It’s a good idea to check with the medical practice when you make the appointment.

As an established patient, you may only need to provide insurance and medical information a second time if something has changed since you last saw the doctor.

What about paperwork for telehealth appointments?

Telehealth (virtual or online) medical appointments generally require the same paperwork as in-person visits. You may receive the forms via e-mail or through a platform like MyChart. You may need to download, sign, and upload these forms again, or use an electronic signature already installed in the virtual platform system.

Before your appointment, consider the following:

  • Ask the medical practice if you can complete any forms online in advance.
  • Review your medical history and list of medications, and determine if you need to contact one of your previous healthcare professionals to fill in any gaps in information.
  • Gather the insurance card and ID.
  • Make a list of your current concerns or symptoms so you can provide them to the doctor when you meet.

You may need to bring an insurance card and ID to a doctor’s appointment, especially if you’re a new patient. You will also need to fill out multiple forms to record personal and medical information, billing details, and release of medical records, among others.

If you’re feeling anxious about seeing the doctor, these tips may help.