For Immediate Release:
December 15, 1999
Comment Period
Extended for
Medical Privacy Rule
Americans Have Until
February 17, 2000 to Comment on Proposed Medical Privacy Regulations
Washington, D.C. -- The U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS) has extended the comment period
for Americans to share their opinions about pending
medical privacy regulations. The regulations were published
on November 3, 1999 with the initial comment period
ending January 3, 2000. However, the comment period
was recently extended to February 17, 2000.
"This is good news," said Sue Blevins, president of
the Institute for Health Freedom. "It will give busy
Americans additional time to review the regulations
and share their comments after the holiday season and
millennium festivities."
The proposed federal medical privacy regulations will
determine who has access to patients' medical information
-- including genetic information -- when the United
States adopts an electronic medical data system in 2000.
By law, HHS is required to adopt new standards for processing
medical claims electronically. The pending medical privacy
regulations will set the terms for who has access to
patients' electronic medical records and whether or
not patients must give consent before their information
is transmitted over the Internet.
"As they stand, the proposed privacy regulations legalize
access to individuals' electronic medical records without
patient consent. They give the federal government the
power to decide whether or not patients' medical information
is sent over the Internet," notes Blevins. "Individuals
-- not the federal government -- should decide when,
where, how and to whom their medical information is
disclosed."
Concerned individuals can view the proposed medical
privacy regulations and send electronic comments at
the following web site: http://aspe.hhs.gov/admnsimp/.
The Institute for Health Freedom's summary of the regulations
is posted at the following web site:
http://www.forhealthfreedom.org/Publications/Privacy/NeedToKnow.html.
Written comments should be mailed to:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
Attention: Privacy-P
Room G-322A
Hubert H. Humphrey Building
200 Independence Avenue SW
Washington, DC 20201
Be sure to include the full name, address, and telephone
number of the sender.
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