Hospital confidentiality law adds frustrations
The 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act or HIPAA gets a write up today in the New York Times. The story examines the frustration felt by family and friends on how to obtain information, and the reporter questions whether the law is functional.
From the story:
Government studies released in the last few months show the frustration is widespread, an unintended consequence of the 1996 law.Hipaa was designed to allow Americans to take their health insurance coverage with them when they changed jobs, with provisions to keep medical information confidential. But new studies have found that some health care providers apply Hipaa regulations overzealously, leaving family members, caretakers, public health and law enforcement authorities stymied in their efforts to get information.