|
Committee on Ways and Means For Immediate Release Revised Patient Confidentiality
Rule Draws WASHINGTON -- Today, Rep. Bill Thomas [R-Ca], Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, urged additional changes to the Administration's proposed rule protecting the confidentiality of patients' medical information, while expressing support for many of the revisions already made. "The Administration's changes will help ensure that no American is denied treatment because of overzealous privacy rules, but more needs to be done to perfect the proposal. We urge the Administration to modify how we protect the identify of individuals in biomedical research so that important work to cure cancer, Alzheimer's and other diseases can proceed," said Chairman Thomas. In May 2001 and again in February 2002, Chairman Thomas and Rep. Nancy Johnson, Chairman of the Health Subcommittee, suggested a host of changes to the Administration, most of which are reflected in their revised Rule. The following changes were made to the Rule, and requested by the Chairmen: Proposal: Dismiss the patient consent requirements for use of medical information and adopt a statutory construct for use and disclosure of health information for treatment, payment and health care operations, or make the consent process optional for providers. Response: HHS accepted this proposal. Proposal: Medical Research: Eliminate the requirement for IRBs to evaluate the potential risk of loss of privacy to the individual versus the potential benefit of the research to the individual. Response: HHS accepted this proposal. Proposal: Allow reporting to all public health registries without patient consent. Response: HHS accepted this proposal. HHS did not accept suggested changes to the definition of "deidentified" information that could negatively impact the progress of biomedical research. The two Chairmen asked that the definition be modified to require direct identifiers such as name and health plan number be removed from records, but that indirect identifiers critical to advancing patient research remain. While HHS has not yet changed the standard, they have solicited feedback and indicated they will consider modifications to the requirements for "deidentified" information. Clink on the links for copies of the letters sent to President Bush and the Administration. |