Medical Privacy Laws Highly Ineffectual

Rick Zeman writes "According to the Washington Post, since Americans gained statutory privacy for their medical records backed by the US Federal Government (via HIPAA), the Bush administration has received thousands of complaints alleging violations but has not imposed a single civil fine and has prosecuted just two criminal cases saying that they were pursuing 'voluntary compliance.'" From the article: "'It's like when you're driving a car,' said consultant Gary Christoph of Teradata Government Systems of Dayton, Ohio. 'If you are speeding down the highway and no one is watching, you're much more likely to speed. The problem with voluntary compliance is, it doesn't seem to be motivating people to comply.'"

Comments

Re:Considering the recent incidents.....

[FudRucker]

RE:"but at least I had them put it in their drawers."

ouch!

Practical nonsense..

[jpellino]

After a year long bout with several parallel ailments, my GP asked me how I was, and I replied "except for the writer's cramp, just fine". Every visit to a MD office now requires that you fill out and sign the form that swears they promised under HPPA not to divulge anything (maybe not explicitly required but it seems everyone's in CYA mode on every visit).

As he observed, "What do they think I'm going to do - run out into the parking lot and yell to passers-by 'You'll never guess what Pellino's got...!'"

And as I observed - you get three or more seniors in the waiting room, and no matter how the small talk starts, it always becomes a grand exposition of their ailments. "Huh! You don't know from gallstones! I should be so lucky to just have your gout!" and on and on and on...

HIPPA != HIPAA

[TX297]

HIPAA = Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (of 1996)
HIPPA = Hippopotamus. With an A.

STOP SPELLING IT "HIPPA"!

Eureka!

[abb3w]

So put this and this together, and we read the secret headline "Midaeval Piracy Laws", thereby tying HIPAA in with the MPAA and RIAA and the basic Slashdot anti-Copyright agenda! Yes, it's a *AA conspiracy!

Go on, mod me insightful. It's a slow news week so far.