[Fwd: [orthomolecular] ACT NOW---ONLY FOUR DAYS LEFT TO SAVE PRIVACY!!!]

[Guest guest]

I thought that this, from another list, which is mentioned at the bottom, would

be of interest.

Morton

 

" George von Hilsheimer, Ph.D. " wrote:

 

> http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/ Use this address to protest theft of

> privacy.

>

> Send a copy of what you write to

> dpeelmd writes:

>

> PLEASE DISTRIBUTE TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES:

>

> B U S H P L A N S T O E L I M I N A T E P A T I E N T C O N S E N T !

> G O V E R N M E N T B U R E A U C R A T S W I L L D E C I D E W H O S

> E E S Y O U R M O S T P R I V A T E I N F O R M A T I O N FRIDAY APRIL

> 26th IS THE LAST DAY to send comments to HHS about the changes that are

> being proposed (see below for how to comment).

> IF THOUSANDS OF CITIZENS DO NOT PROTEST THE ELIMINATION OF PRIVACY, the

> government will take the power to consent to disclose our medical and mental

> health records away from us. It took 52,000 letters to get the Clinton

> Administration to keep consent in the current Privacy Rule. We need that

> many people to write NOW.

> Privacy is essential for effective medical care and Americans still believe

> they have control over their sensitive medical and mental health records,

> BUT this important basic right to privacy is about to be taken away.

> The Bush Administration proposes to take away the right each of us NOW has

> to consent to the release of our medical records. If we lose our right to

> give or withhold consent, we will have no way at all to keep our records out

> of the hands of hundreds of people in healthcare-related businesses, in

> banks, and out of the hands of our employers.

> The government plans to give " regulatory permission " for our records to be

> accessed by the entire healthcare system, by banks and employers, all

> without even letting us know who sees them. Even if someone strenuously

> objected to the release of his or her medical information or paid for care

> out of pocket to try to keep records private, the government can legally

> override those objections by giving " regulatory permission " for the records

> to be disclosed.

> Physicians and mental health professionals will then have no choice but to

> send those records out. If they withhold records, they become criminals.

> Effective psychotherapy will be destroyed, because it depends on privacy for

> people to trust enough to communicate sensitive information. That can't be

> done without the guarantee of privacy.

> There are several other very serious problems with the government's

> proposal:

> 1) It overrides state laws protecting the right to consent.

> 2) Eliminating consent violates the ethical principles of nearly every

> medical profession and the statutory or common law of nearly every state.

> IF A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL WANTS TO REMAIN ETHICAL HE OR SHE WILL BE BREAKING

> THE LAW!!!

> 3) For example, health plans can require the release of mental health

> information before they pay for knee surgery. Since physicians and mental

> health professionals cannot prove that mental health records are unnecessary

> for payment, disclosure of sensitive MH information will be permitted for

> virtually any purpose.

> 4) Health plans will be able to access ALL the medical records of every

> physician and mental health professional, even those of people who paid

> out-of-pocket to ensure privacy, claiming they are needed for " health care

> operations "

> 5) " Marketing " is redefined so patients can be contacted directly about

> their medicines. These privacy breaches are renamed " recommending

> treatment. "

>

> SAVE PRIVACY !!! COMMENT TO HHS NOW at:

> http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/

> Here's what to include with your own ideas or your story:

> 1) Section 164.506: Do not eliminate or weaken consent. Strengthen consent.

> 2) Do not override stronger state laws protecting medical privacy and

> consent. Section 164.506.

> 3) Obtain patient consent for " recommending treatment, " ------don't allow

> drug companies or other businesses to contact individuals directly from

> their identifiable prescription or medical records to sell them products!

> Get consent first. See Sections 164.501 and

> 64.508(a)(3).

>

> View the proposed changes in the HIPAA Privacy Rule at:

> http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/propmods.txt Deborah C. Peel, MD President,

> NCMHPC PS - Are Y O U a member of the National Coalition of Mental Health

> Professionals and Consumers, Inc.?

> Why not? We are doing great things! Check us out at:

> http://www.thenationalcoalition.org/PresidentDP.htm

> *******************************************************

>

>

> Post message: orthomolecular

> Subscribe: orthomolecular-

> Un: orthomolecular-

> List owner: orthomolecular-owner

>

>