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Feds Plan For 35 Agencies To Collect, Share, Use Health Records of Americans
cold fjord writes: The Weekly Standard reports, "This week, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the release of the Federal Health IT Strategic Plan 2015-2020, which details the efforts of some 35 departments and agencies of the federal government and their roles in the plan to 'advance the collection, sharing, and use of electronic health information to improve health care, individual and community health, and research.' ... Now that HHS has publicly released the Federal Health IT Strategic Plan, the agency is seeking the input from the public before implementation. The plan is subject to two-month period of public comment before finalization. The comment period runs through February 6, 2015." Among the many agencies that will be sharing records besides Health and Human Services are: Department of Agriculture, Department of Defense, Department of Education, Department of Justice and Bureau of Prison, Department of Labor, Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade Commission, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Office of Personnel Management, National Institute of Standards and Technology.
The NSA, CIA, and FBI.
" Among the many agencies that will be sharing records besides Health and Human Services are: Department of Agriculture, Department of Defense, Department of Education, Department of Justice and Bureau of Prison, Department of Labor, Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade Commission, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Office of Personnel Management, National Institute of Standards and Technology."
In other words, almost everyone except YOU!
"Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
Although I knew that I would lose several civil rights, such as carrying a firearm, etc. I never believed that being put into the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Prisons would mean that my personal health history would be shared across thirty-five departments. I do not mind this, and it does not surprise me. However, this is just another example of big brother making decisions that are outside of my control.
See my story at The Market is not Random.
-Anthony
-------
artlu.net
What could possibly go wrong?
Are these agencies going to be covered under HIPAA? Or is this going to be a big giant free for all?
Because this sounds like a huge list of agencies which may or may not have any experience in not sucking at handling this kind of data.
I predict this will more or less put the private information of pretty much everyone into pretty much every government agency, and that this will be hacked and leaked 10 ways from Sunday.
Lost at C:>. Found at C.
I'm so glad NASA is concerned about my health but I'm worried they may find out that I'm an alien.
What could possibly go wrong? Nothing. it's for our own health and safety. Don't you want to stay healthy?
Are these agencies going to be covered under HIPAA?
Nice one, since when does any law apply when national security is at stake?
I predict this will more or less put the private information of pretty much everyone into pretty much every government agency, and that this will be hacked and leaked 10 ways from Sunday.
It already is, so what's the big deal?
Yeah. Bigger and Better Government. /sarc
If you're scared of your govt then you need to further restrict its powers
Vote 3rd Party in 2016 and beyond
> I predict this will more or less put the private information of pretty much everyone into pretty much every government agency, and that this will be hacked and leaked 10 ways from Sunday.
Well of course. The question is, will it be hacked while it's in beta, or after it's officially launched?
Move to another country where privacy means more than a door on a commode stall. That's about the extent of available options.
Scruting the inscrutable for over 50 years.
They don't and the article never says they will. These are the 35 organizations involved into the project and it never means they all have access to personal health records of anyone. When your ISP is involved into providing virtual banking thru the internet, does it mean he has access to your banking records and accounts?
Achille Talon
Hop!
Well, you guys wanted federal health care.
Please don't act all surprised when this information is used for all sorts of other purposes.
-Styopa
35 more ways for your private information to leak or be hacked.
"If any question why we died, Tell them because our fathers lied."
Privacy and and security seem to be an afterthought, at best, in these plans and associated documents. Given the fact that attacks on health care data are already growing at an alarming rate (as predicted by many analysts) and that the health care industry is 10-20 years behind financial services when it comes to security and fraud prevention, this plan seems premature. At the very least, it's stated goals need to place privacy and security at the forefront, for until that gap is closed, any effort to expand the footprint of such sensitive information is, to say the least, misguided.
These are the 35 organizations involved into the project and it never means they all have access to personal health records of anyone.
And the consequences if it does mean that? Even if it's breaking the law?
And don't say they (the federal government) will get punished. Just look at the CIA directly lying in testimony to congress and those consequences.
There are two types of people in the world: Those who crave closure
the network infrastructure should use Blackberry tech though.
You mean the company that gave every country a backdoor key?
There are two types of people in the world: Those who crave closure
With all the complaints, I do wonder what percentage of US readers of this site are programmers, designers, computer scientists, etc., that are employed by the US Government. I would not be surprised that we are the majority. Still "the needs of the one" are still relevant also.
Actually, the problem is that we fall for the "It's for the starving children" political rhetoric and have VERY short memories. What happens in reality is what Jonathan Gruber (sp) said happened with the ACA, it's how you package it. It's all about the marketing and the sound bites and NOT about the truth. In short, lie, cheat and steal what you want and politics has turned into a PR propaganda campaign where the truth comes in second to the cause. "The ends justify the means."
However, all is not lost. Despite the problems of politics, the voters still do respond to such tactics eventually. Every Senator that got elected for their first time in 2008 and voted for the ACA just lost their re-election bid. Many others who voted for the ACA are also gone. Once the real effects of the ACA started to hit home and the propaganda proven untrue, the voters responded.
Short term, the tactic works, but in the long run, I still have faith in the voters... At least the slice of voters in the middle who actually decide things for us...
"File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
Well of course. The question is, will it be hacked while it's in beta, or after it's officially launched?
Not mutually exclusive
You have some very valid points. And I pretty much agree with you, but what the ACA has done that I really like is make it illegal to be denied insurance for pre-existing conditions.
I was once on Paxil and self employed. When I was shopping for medical insurance, I told the first agent about the Paxil. He said that I couldn't get any health insurance at all - yes, because of the Paxil, I was uninsurable. He then said that I should find another agent and do not mention the Paxil. This was in the late 90s.
Of course you can't do that anymore because of the Medical Information Bureau (MIB.com). Anything and everything that you do through your insurance is recorded there.
So, if you become lord emperor lgw and implement your ideas, I beg you to keep pre-existing conditions insurable.
Before we cower in fear because ZOMG EVERYONE KNOWS EVERYTHING ABOUT ME....lets consider some things:
-there has been a push for a long time to move medical records to electronic format. we've been promised cost reductions as a result, as well has better/quicker care
-most health records still paper instead of electronic. the move to electronic records has largely been a failure; one reason is the resulting cost reductions that have been promised have been slow to materialize, if theyve materialized at all.
-those that are, are not in some large nationwide or accessible database
-under federal law personal health information is private and cannot be released to outside parties without consent
-under federal law any information that is released must be anonymized; ie, no SSN or names or other personally identifiable information
-google facebook and other data miners probably already know more about your current health needs than these records would tell someone, and they already associate it with you (ie, their data isnt anonymous)
So we're not talking about the FBI or NSA using this to find out you have irritable bowel syndrome.
(chances are they already know from other sources like Facebook anyway...*tin foil hat*).
and they likely wouldnt care anyway (life is not a hollywood movie).
No, its not readily apparent why the Dept of Ag might need health data.
But health researchers absolutely. And they get anonymized health data already.
But if we considered something like antibiotic resistance and hte theory that overapplication to livestock is a factor, I could see a scenario where health researchers partner with Dept of Ag to study the effects of antibiotic usage on livestock.
In fact the anonymous nature of this data is a big factor in the outrage over the House bills just a week or two ago that purported to "ban secret science" by requiring full disclouse over everything, and banning agencies from making decisions based on "secret science or data". This would have the efect of banning hte CDC or other health agencies from making decisions based on research using this anonymous data....data that is anonymous because of privacy laws. Effectively hamstringing the agencies compeltely.
All in all, teh cowering in fear and conspiracy reactions to this are just FUD.
The guy who said the election was rigged won the presidency with the second-most votes.
Every Senator that got elected for their first time in 2008 and voted for the ACA just lost their re-election bid.
If that is true then why is Al Franken still one of my senators? Granted I do prefer him to Amy Klobuchar.
Time to offend someone
The ironic thing about Grubergate is that he's been proven right. The Republicans have used one recorded remark by a mid-level bureaucrat to override all fact-based arguments about the ACA for the past month. Yes, people really are stupid. Give them something to be angry about, and they'll vote against their own interests.
Have you read my blog lately?
From peoples reactions it is readily apparent they are not reading the article, and those that are are focusing on the handful of agencies that stick out ignoring that most of them are health related agencies.
Just another typical day on /.
The guy who said the election was rigged won the presidency with the second-most votes.
It's rather presumptive of you, and every other Democrat, to pretend to know people's interests better than they do. It's part of the unmistakable arrogance that comes from the left, and was perfectly displayed by Gruber. You and your fellow leftists are cut from the same cloth as every other human, but you whip each other up with flattery on how kind, intelligent and compassionate you are for simply being on the left. Whether ruin or prosperity follows your policy actions isn't terribly important. You had the best intentions, you see, and the books can always be cooked after the fact to hide any negative news that doesn't fit the narrative.
Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms should be the name of a store, not a government agency.
as opposed to open door policy by others?
No, as opposed to the "we're giving our users encryption we can't get into" companies.
There are two types of people in the world: Those who crave closure
My mistake... make that "most" instead of "every"...
"File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
Oh, you mean the ACA that allowed me to get better coverage at half the cost? (No deductible, less than 300 a month. And I don't even qualify for a subsidy)
No deductible? No way that is possible. The "no deductible" part is for ONE preventative visit to a doctor per year for a physical. Anything else WILL have deductible and co-insurance or copays. Most plans I've seen have maximum out of pockets north of $5k for a family or more.
If $300/month sounds great to you, just make one extra doctor's visit and you will be paying both the $300 AND what the doctor chooses to bill you. If you hit the max out of pocket in the year, your monthly cost is north of $700.
Still sound affordable? I didn't think so..
Don't start with this "Well I won't use more than my one visit, I'm young and healthy" tripe either. Because if that is true, you are paying $3,600 for that visit.....
"File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
Has any individual ever been held responsible for a privacy leak?
Gone to jail? Paid a fine? Flogged in the village square?
Would it make a difference if a particular person or group would be named as the responsible party and dire consequences would result from any leak? Consequences including loss of income, fines, jail time and never being able to take a similar job? OTOH, if they do the job well, they are well paid and respected.
Why wouldn't Sony or Target or a big government agency want this?
This is exactly what the airline industry does. They have a fall guy for every airline disaster. 'Pilot error.' That way the manufacturer, the airline, the maintenance company and all the 'too big to fail' companies are free to continue and the man with no voice takes the hit.
We know that the pilot does his best, regardless of the challenge. He knows the penalty for failure is severe. Management and IT professionals in charge of security should face serious consequences for failure as well.
...omphaloskepsis often...
Great, my data is protected by federal laws.
So what happens when there's an "unauthorized release" of your data by a federal agency?
Nothing!
That's why the laws on "unauthorized release" are bogus when you're talking about the government. No penalty = no enforcement = no care.
The TLA agencies care about your data when they need to ensure your cooperation with an ongoing investigation.
If you like your insurance you can keep your insurance. ...
If you like your doctor you can keep your doctor.
If you like your privacy you can keep your privacy.
If you like your freedom
Thank You, Jonathan Gruber
Obamistas believe they had to lie to pass Obamacare because Americans are stupid.
much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot - George Orwell
that is also true for blackberry and has been always. not just something that was a reaction but rather a design. The design is for the Enterprise which is the use case scenario here.
Granted BB may not be long in the world so maybe use their design as a basis for some new deployment rather than use BB. but the others... fahhhhh
The material linked from this article is not entirely clear about the privacy implecations. The article talks about giving individual patients more ability to specify exactly what data about them is shared. They also talk about standardization of health information but that was actually part of HIPAA from the beginning. They talk about security a little more than they would if this were only anonymous data but they probably are mainly talking about anonymous, aggregate infomation.
HIPAA requires that PHI (anything which is both personally identifyable and has diagnostic information) is provided on a need-to-know basis. Even if you are the patient's direct care provider, you are not supposed to look at records without a reason. When you transfer records, they have to be de-identified if de-identified information is sufficient for the purpose. The vast majority of what they are discussing in this "Strategic Plan" can and should involve only de-identified information.
Unlike the common, disingenuous, privacy policies of many web sites, HIPAA lists both specific and general requirements for de-identifying information so that it can not be re-identified. These measures go a long way but are not perfect. I wish I could give a specific example from my own research experience but I shouldn't because the most interesting case is currently being looked at by an Institutional Review Board (IRB.) Suffice it to say that I want to merge some data sets from different institutions which have used different anonymous identifyers but have some overlap in patients. HIPAA requires that anonymous tokens be issued on a one-off basis and not reused from one study to the next. However, I think that the different data sets have enough information to link the anonymous identifiers to each other (although not back to the actual patients.) So the question before the IRB is whether going ahead and linking those identifiers would be a HIPAA violation or has the damage already been done.
This looks like a weird idea. European countries with socialized healthcare do not have medical records shared among a bunch of state agencies. In most countries there is not even an electronic record.
It's also fucked up that so many people ignore the enormous problems that still exist for many people trying to register and use the program. Obamacare may have brought some healthcare to many people, but it's going to crash faster than social security.
Shit would work better if medical providers would just charge EVERYONE the same fucking amount that the insurance companies have negotiated. When a person's hospital bill runs $22000 and the insurance company's discount runs their payout to only $3500, there's a fucking problem. If the provider's didn't inflate their charges, then maybe regular people might be able to afford to pay on their own.
If the expense of coverage is higher than a person would pay out of pocket if everyone got the discount, then how the fuck is it helping the situation?
However, all is not lost. Despite the problems of politics, the voters still do respond to such tactics eventually. Every Senator that got elected for their first time in 2008 and voted for the ACA just lost their re-election bid. Many others who voted for the ACA are also gone. Once the real effects of the ACA started to hit home and the propaganda proven untrue, the voters responded.
So business as usual. Politicians are the mercenaries in the war of the power elite against the general populace. They were always considered disposable... and they were disposed. It does not matter as their purpose was served: The ACA remains and it will not be removed.
"Someone needs to talk to the tree of liberty about its ghoulish drinking problem." by ohnocitizen
Man, you sure used a hell of a lot of bytes convincing me that the gov't is a failed experiment. I wouldn't say anything, but you're preaching to the choir.
Politicians, lawyers, marketers, all are good for little more than landfill.
The ACA remains and it will not be removed.
I'm not so sure about that. It may take a few more years and a republican president, but I think there is a lot of pressure to repeal. At the very least, the ACA will be fundamentally modified. IMHO, it will be repealed in total, with the more popular parts re-implemented piecemeal.
However, we are stuck with it for the next two years at least, unless the democrat party goes into full revolt and enables a veto proof senate vote and override the presidential veto.
"File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101