Your Confidential Medical Records Are an Open Book

NewsMax.com ^ | Monday, July 8, 2002 | Phil Brennan

[OXENinFLA]

What's next will they institute the "KNOW YOUR CUSTOMER" program for banks?

[Mixer]

On a similar note, privacy issue at hand, I find it amusing that nowadays credit card companies will sell (or giveaway) your info unless you call an 800 number and tell them that you do not want your info shared. Why in the hell should I have to call anyone to protect my privacy.

[goodieD]

I am so sick of the "rights" of salespeople superceding our right to privacy. The courts always seem to rule in favor of vendors. I'm all for capitalism, but not for intrusive sales tactics!

[mr.froster]

Does this mean that we finally get to see President Clinton's medical records?

[Barnacle]

..all kinds of people can now access your most private medical records without your say-so...

That's why my doctor knows me only as "Barnacle".

[coloradan]

bump

[RedwM]

Good. I love junk mail.

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Good point Mr. Foster........

[HairOfTheDog]

"It's perfectly legal under the rule for someone to knock on your door and say, 'I've learned from your doctor you have hemorrhoids; would you like to buy this treatment?' "

Sounds like a good reason to champion the 2nd Amendment. At least we still have that one!

[newgeezer]

Now, if only I could wrangle a copy of my contact lens prescription out of my money-grubbing optometrist!! ;-)

[cva66snipe]

"I hadn't been using Prozac for seven years or better," she told the Times. "It was a matter of a few months. It didn't agree with me."

Serotonin Syndrome anyone? I would bet there is likely another party involved in this as well and the likely driving force. Of course thanks to the so called wisdom of our congress and POTUS this party is by law protected from negliance in civil court. I wonder if she is under an HMO and if soo I would suspect them as well. Many HMO's enjoy pharmucatial company kickbacks.

BTW doctor needs to loose practice and licence , Walgreens and Eli Lilly should be held liable in Civil Court with substancial damages awarded to this woman. SSRI's are not something to mess with.

[fivecatsandadog]

Why in the hell should I have to call anyone to protect my privacy.

Some of them don't give you the call option. They enclose a form to fill out and return (YOU pay the postage); the form looks a lot like the junk mail inserts that come with your statement. So if you're not expecting it, it probably gets thrown out. What a scam.

[SSN558]

"'I've learned from your doctor you have hemorrhoids;"

If it were Clinton the salesman would say, "I've learned from your medical records you have herpes and abuse cocaine." I have this brother inlaw that needs a pardon.

[Robert A Cook PE]

Funny thing is: The "actual" Roe vs. Wade decision ONLY removed restrictions on abortions BECAUSE of the "violation of the privacy" involved in Congress making a law restricting medical services ....

And now Clinton force-fed this down our throats.

But then again, Clinton's supporters in the anti-gun movement ALSO demanded that family physicians ASK your children whether there were any guns in the house. (And, of course, a child would answer - because the "doctor" asked him.)

So now that medical records can be shared among the fed's -----without you getting asked or requested: he has gun data available to Reno and company.

[GnuHere]

Good God, mate. Get your spelling in order before you expect us to take this post seriously.

[PatriotReporter]

If you take a girl or woman to hospial now she must see a Social Worker thanks to Senator Joseph Biden

[ftroop]

This article is needless fear mongering. The legislation talked about here, HIPAA, is designed to prohibit the exact things discussed in the article. The federal law is superseded by state law where state law is more stringent, so it's essentially federal legislation that provides a regulatory floor where state law does not intervene.

Trust me, doctors don't want to do this because it is way more work than they are currently doing to protect privacy. HIPAA requires providers and their associates to be more accountable and document disclosure of information. They don't currently have to do that consistently.

A business associate falls under the physician's risk as if they were an employee of the practice. Protected health information is specifically to be used for treatment, payment and "medical operations."

Bad news is that HIPAA is not specific enough and will be wrung out in case law for years to come.

All the regs are here: http://aspe.hhs.gov/admnsimp/

The privacy rule is 1500 pages long.

[MissL]

If you chose to pay cash for medical treatment, you can put down whatever name you want. You don't have to dis close a social secruity # you do not have to provide a real one...it is none of their business. But if you pay by credit card, check or insurance....they have you and all of your info. The only thing we can do is apply pressure on our representives to respect our privacy. When we have to lie to retain privacy...something is wrong with our society. Maybe when some one asks for info...we should just say, "Sorry, none of your business".