[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.

[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.

[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.

[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 The federal law is superseded by state law where state law is more stringent, so it's essentially federal legislation that provides a regulatory floor where state law does not intervene.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".

[WaterDragon]

Once hospitals and doctors' offices computerized medical records it was a foregone conclusion that all semblance of privacy was gone.

Your best bet is to stay away from the medical profession.

[hankbrown]

The writer of this article has no idea what he is talking about. The regulations discussed put some restrictions on releasing medical information and are not operative yet. Health care providers have until April 2003 to comply. There are NO federal requirements now and the regulations contain no "sleeper" provision allowing health care people to sell medical records to marketing firms. Marketing can only be done directly to the patient and not to a private firm. The misinformation surrounding these regulations is based on the usual failure to read the laws before jumping to alarming conclusions.

[E.G.C.]

Here are my thoughts on this subject.

With all due respects to those are choosing to be so presumptous about Newsmax which quite frankly is a far better publication then the established media outlets, I myself, have read the new HIPAA rules in their entirety and based on that, I find Newsmax's analysis to be right on this and not disinformation as some would like us think.

I would just ask those who disagree with this analysis if they have read these new regulations and if so if they think it would be a good idea for goverment to look at their private medical records. This kind of goverment bereaucacy sounds a little reminiscent of some fella who ruled Gremany with an iron fist back in the 30's.

I would ask everyone to do their homework and look at thesethings before they start getting so presumptious about other people's analysis on isssues like this. I have and I know for a fact that Newsmax is right on this one.

Regards.

[Bonaparte]

Sad to say, pharmacists now routinely engage in the practice of medicine and it's quite dangerous. In the Kaiser system, for example, hospital pharmacists are permitted to adjust patient dosage of drugs like Coumadin based on whatever the current blood draws show.

[steve-b]

Thanks to new federal regulations designed by President Clinton and backed by President Bush

Meet the new boss....

[CecilRhodesGhost]

Medical companies, drug-makers, etc all need your records so that they can let you know about upcoming developments, tips or products that might be important to you. It's your duty to opt-out if you decide you want to tune-out the corporations that want to help improve your life. Corporations in America are trying to help you and need your medical records to do the job. Opting-out is the best way to ensure that most Americans are allowed to hear about the latest consumer/health/product news from the leading drug, healthcare and medical providers in the world. It's a great benefit to have your medical records sold and traded on the market. These privacy demands are too much nonsense.