Category: Uncategorized

Emily Long reports: A new Office of Personnel Management database designed to track federal employee health benefit plans could put at risk the personal information of participants, according to privacy advocates. OPM last week announced plans for a database tool to track and evaluate the quality and cost of services provided through the Federal Employees Health…

Howard Anderson writes: Federal officials are still months away from submitting an overdue report to Congress on privacy and security requirements for personal health records vendors, which are not covered by HIPAA. Section 13421 of the HITECH Act called for the Department of Health and Human Services to submit a report by last February on the…

I’ve occasionally blogged about the privacy of the dead and families’ rights with respect to the dead. Some parents have been shocked and distraught to discover that when their child’s body was released to them, body organs might have been missing as they were still undergoing testing. But when the testing is done, the coroner’s…

Lee Rodo reports: An Iowa Supreme Court decision allowing criminal defendants more access to confidential mental and medical health records of their alleged victims has become highly controversial in state courts. Defense attorneys praise the July decision. But the ruling has prompted widespread concern from medical professionals, victims’ groups, therapists, social workers and state prosecutors…

As if CVS hasn’t already had enough trouble with the FTC and HHS, now six pharmacies in Texas are suing CVS Caremark. As Health Data Management reports, the pharmacies allege that the pharmacy chain and mail-order pharmacy benefit management firm have engaged in racketeering under the federal RICO law, trade secret misappropriation, and — most…

Daren Bakst writes: … Recently, there was outrage over a proposal by the state sheriffs’ association that would allow sheriffs to have access to individual prescription information regarding painkillers and controlled substances. [see previous coverage here — Dissent] While this outrage is justified, it misses an even bigger point. North Carolina government officials already have…