AbbyLane2001
Membership Revoked
Republic USA http://www.republicusa.org
Subject: So Much for the 4th and 9th Amendments
Forbes Magazine: New Medical Rules Violate Privacy.
Wednesday, May 30, 2001
Forbes magazine reports that new federal rule changes relating to your
medical records is a "prescription for snooping by government officials and
others" and "will only open more files to unwarranted view."
The Forbes article confirms earlier reports on NewsMax.com that the new
regulations, said to protect the privacy of personal medical records,
actually allows for a massive government invasion of patient privacy.
The May 28 edition of the respected magazine carries the hard-hitting exposé
on the new regulations first issued by Bill Clinton during last year's
Christmas holiday, and adopted by President Bush and Secretary of Health and
Human Services Tommy Thompson in early April.
Forbes reports that Bush "rubberstamped" the Clinton medical privacy
regulations without adequate review.
"It actually weakens individuals' ability to restrict access to their
medical records," Forbes quotes Sue A. Belvins of the Washington-based
Institute for Health Freedom.
The magazine notes that while the new regulations make it look like
government is protecting patient privacy and personal medical records, they
actually do the opposite and allow for government snooping of your personal
medical records.
Forbes notes that under the new regulations:
Drug companies, blood banks and sperm banks can market your private DNA
data.
Doctors and medical organizations will force patients to waive their privacy
rights and may withhold treatment if patients don't agree.
Charlotte Twight, a Boise State University economics professor and privacy
expert, says the regulations allow government review of your private records
without consent.
Doctors must open their medical files to government inspectors without
explanation.
"The regulations also permit doctors and health plans to release intimate
medical records to government agencies for almost any purpose," Forbes said,
noting the irony that police can't even look at your video rental history
without a warrant.
Under the new medical privacy rules, all Americans will be assigned a health
identification number officially termed a UPI or Unique Patient
Identifier. That number will accompany individuals from birth to death, and
will track all medical records, including unique DNA code and psychiatric
records.
The new regulations require all medical organizations to cease relying on
paper records and to digitize all medical records for easy computer access.
These rules, some of which were first part of Hillary Clinton's health care
proposals, were part of a last-minute wave of new regulations proposed by
Clinton before he left office.
Noting that the Clinton administration had violated federal procedure by not
allowing for a proper review period, the new secretary of Health and Human
Services, Tommy Thompson, said in early April he would delay indefinitely
the implementation of the rules.
But his decision was overridden by President Bush, who ordered Thompson to
immediately implement the new rules.
While the health industry is angry at the cost of the new rules,
particularly the effort to force all records to be digitized, others are big
winners.
The insurance industry has pushed for the new regulations, to reduce fraud
by gaining access to medical records. Marketing and drug companies will also
have unprecedented access to medical records and be able to market
individuals' medications based on their health conditions.
Subject: So Much for the 4th and 9th Amendments
Forbes Magazine: New Medical Rules Violate Privacy.
Wednesday, May 30, 2001
Forbes magazine reports that new federal rule changes relating to your
medical records is a "prescription for snooping by government officials and
others" and "will only open more files to unwarranted view."
The Forbes article confirms earlier reports on NewsMax.com that the new
regulations, said to protect the privacy of personal medical records,
actually allows for a massive government invasion of patient privacy.
The May 28 edition of the respected magazine carries the hard-hitting exposé
on the new regulations first issued by Bill Clinton during last year's
Christmas holiday, and adopted by President Bush and Secretary of Health and
Human Services Tommy Thompson in early April.
Forbes reports that Bush "rubberstamped" the Clinton medical privacy
regulations without adequate review.
"It actually weakens individuals' ability to restrict access to their
medical records," Forbes quotes Sue A. Belvins of the Washington-based
Institute for Health Freedom.
The magazine notes that while the new regulations make it look like
government is protecting patient privacy and personal medical records, they
actually do the opposite and allow for government snooping of your personal
medical records.
Forbes notes that under the new regulations:
Drug companies, blood banks and sperm banks can market your private DNA
data.
Doctors and medical organizations will force patients to waive their privacy
rights and may withhold treatment if patients don't agree.
Charlotte Twight, a Boise State University economics professor and privacy
expert, says the regulations allow government review of your private records
without consent.
Doctors must open their medical files to government inspectors without
explanation.
"The regulations also permit doctors and health plans to release intimate
medical records to government agencies for almost any purpose," Forbes said,
noting the irony that police can't even look at your video rental history
without a warrant.
Under the new medical privacy rules, all Americans will be assigned a health
identification number officially termed a UPI or Unique Patient
Identifier. That number will accompany individuals from birth to death, and
will track all medical records, including unique DNA code and psychiatric
records.
The new regulations require all medical organizations to cease relying on
paper records and to digitize all medical records for easy computer access.
These rules, some of which were first part of Hillary Clinton's health care
proposals, were part of a last-minute wave of new regulations proposed by
Clinton before he left office.
Noting that the Clinton administration had violated federal procedure by not
allowing for a proper review period, the new secretary of Health and Human
Services, Tommy Thompson, said in early April he would delay indefinitely
the implementation of the rules.
But his decision was overridden by President Bush, who ordered Thompson to
immediately implement the new rules.
While the health industry is angry at the cost of the new rules,
particularly the effort to force all records to be digitized, others are big
winners.
The insurance industry has pushed for the new regulations, to reduce fraud
by gaining access to medical records. Marketing and drug companies will also
have unprecedented access to medical records and be able to market
individuals' medications based on their health conditions.