For Immediate Release:
April 12, 2001
President Bush Orders Final Federal Medical Privacy
Rule to Take Effect
Rule to be Revised and Pushed Forward
Washington, D.C.—On April 12, the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced it is revising
and implementing the federal
medical privacy rule initially proposed by the Clinton
Administration. HHS received more than 24,000 written
comments on the medical privacy rule, including thousands
of comments from citizens with a strong concern for
privacy.
"President Bush has focused on an important issue
that affects nearly each and every American," says Sue
Blevins, president of the Institute for Health Freedom.
"According to a national Gallup survey sponsored by
the Institute for Health Freedom, an overwhelming majority
of Americans do not want the government or other third
parties to have access to their personal medical information—including
genetic information—without their permission,"
stresses Blevins. (The Gallup survey can be viewed in
its entirety at the following Website: www.ForHealthFreedom.org/Gallupsurvey.)
"I am pleased that HHS is planning to modify and clarify
the `fuzzy' federal medical privacy rule," says Blevins.
She notes that a team of interested citizens and organizations
visited HHS to review thousands of comments submitted
by the public and found that there is much confusion
about the rule. "The medical industry told HHS the rule
is too complicated and costly, while concerned citizens
say the rule doesn't go far enough to protect patient
privacy. In fact, thousands of individuals told HHS
that they are concerned about third parties gaining
access to their medical records without patient permission,"
she said.
Blevins stresses that the public would benefit greatly
by HHS modifying the following:
- Make sure that individuals are the ones who get
to decide which third parties—if any—are
permitted to see their medical records. The current
rule permits the following third parties to access
individuals' medical records without patient consent:
law enforcement, researchers, insurers, public health
officials, FDA, marketing companies, and state government
agencies.
- Eliminate the broad federal power permitting
the federal government's Secretary of Health and Human
Services and/or Office for Civil Rights to access
individuals' medical records without patient permission.
"Many concerned citizens and groups want HHS to truly
give patients more control over how their personal medical
information will be used and disclosed," says Blevins.
"This can be accomplished by simplifying and reinforcing
the patient consent provision—not eliminating
it."
For more information about medical privacy, visit
IHF's Web site: www.ForHealthFreedom.org
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The medical industry told HHS the federal medical
privacy rule is too costly, while concerned citizens
say the rule doesn't go far enough to protect patient
privacy. |
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