It can be hard to take care of your health, especially if you’ve been diagnosed with a behavioral health disorder or a Substance Use Disorder (SUD). That’s why, if you live in New Jersey, you can get help managing your health, if you need it.

For example, if your doctor has told you that you have an SUD, and you’re 13 years old or older, you can ask for what’s called a limited personal representative or a legal personal representative to help you manage your health care.

Or, if your doctor has told you that you have a behavioral health disorder, and you’re 16 years old or older, you can ask for a limited personal representative or legal personal representative to help you manage your health care.

Other states may have different age requirements for naming a representative, so if you don’t live in New Jersey, this information may not apply to you.

Here are some of the differences between a limited personal representative and a legal personal representative.

Limited Personal Representative

A limited personal representative is someone you choose to be able to get some of your personal health information from Horizon. Information can include the name of your condition, the type of treatment you’re getting, the name of your doctor and financial information.

You can also choose to let your limited personal representative be able to get more sensitive information about you, like whether you have:

• HIV or AIDS
• A sexually transmitted disease
• A mental health condition or SUD

You can also choose to share your genetic information and general sexual health information (family planning and contraception, abortion and pregnancy).

While your representative may have access to your information, they will not be able to make changes to your health care coverage.

Legal Personal Representative

A legal personal representative is someone you allow to have full access to all of your health information, including your sensitive information.

A legal personal representative can also make changes to your health care coverage and get your health care-related mail.

To have a legal personal representative, you must submit a HIPAA Request for Appointment of Limited Personal Representative or HIPAA Request for Appointment of Legal Personal Representative form to Horizon. This allows a legal personal representative to act for you.