ATTN: MARYLAND RESIDENTS - EMERGENT NOTICE Your "PRIVATE" medical records (fwd)

[James Love <love@tap.org>]

  I don't know if this had been posted to this list before. The hearing 
  date is past, but it has quite a bit of interesting information.
  jamie
  
  ---------- Forwarded message ----------
  Date: Mon, 26 Feb 1996 03:18:45 +0500
  From: Keep InforM.D. <informed@access.digex.net>
  Subject: ATTN: MARYLAND RESIDENTS - EMERGENT NOTICE Your "PRIVATE" medical records 
  
  In 1993, the Maryland legislature passed a sweeping health care reform bill
  known as HB 1359.  This 81 page bill - signed by Governor Schaefer created
  (among other things) the Health Care Access and Cost Commission (HCACC) and
  charged them to create a database of ALL encounters with providers of care
  by patients.  The following must be reported to A STATE AGENCY (HCACC)
  WITHOUT YOUR CONSENT !!!  
  
  [Taken from HCACC Notice of Proposed Action dated 06/23/95]
  
  (1)Patient ID (your insurance ID number encrypted)
  (2)Patient Date of Birth
  (3)Patient Sex 
  (4)Patient Race (W,B,Asian or Pacific Islander,Native American, Other)
  (5)Patient ZIP Code
  (6)Patient Covered by Other Insurance
  (7)Coverage Type (Medigap,Individual,Self Insured,Employer Plan,Public
  Employee) 
  (8) Delivery System Type (HMO,P(oint) O(f) S(ervice),PPO or other
  Managed Care, Indemnity)
  (9) Claim Related Condition (Non accident, Work, Auto accident, Other
  accident)
  (10) Practitioner Tax ID
  (11) Participating Provider Indicator (Yes, No, Not coded)
  (12) Claim Total Charge
  (13) Claim Allowed Charge
  (14)Reimbursement Amount
  (15) Patient Liability (Patient copay and/or deductibles)
  (16) Type of Bill (interim or final etc)
  (17) Claim Control Number (the internal control number used by insurers   to
  track claims)
  (18) Claim Paid Date
  (19) Number of Diagnosis Codes (up to ten indicators of your illness)
  (20) Number of Line Items (up to 15 procedures)
  (21) Diagnosis Codes (see (19))
  (22) Service From Date (beginning treatment date)
  (23) Service Thru date (ending date)
  (24)Type of Service (Phys, Pharmacy,Lab,Medical equipment, Surgery,Dental)
  (25) Place of Service (Inpatient, Outpatient hospital, Office, Surgicenter,
  Home, State or Local Clinic, Hospice,Intermediate Care Facility,
  Comprehensive Care Facility
  (26) Service Location Zip Code 
  (27) Unit Indicator (Miles, Anesthesia,Visits, Oxygen Units, Blood Units)
  (28) The Number of Units in (27)
  (29) Procedure Code ( What Care was Provided)
  (30) & (31) Modifiers
  (32) Servicing Practice Identifier
  (33) Billed Charge
  (34) Amount Allowed
  
  also---
  Collect appropriate information relating to prescription drugs for each type
  of patient encounter with a pharmacist ...
  
  Issue 1
  You will not have the right to deny the state access to this information.
  
  Issue 2
  Psychiatric patients, in an effort to protect themselves from outsiders
  gaining knowledge of their treatment, pay the bills themselves to avoid the
  insurance company making a record and their employer finding out they are in
  treatment.  THEY WILL LOSE THAT PROTECTION!!!
  
  Issue 3 
  In 1996 and beyond, do you really want a governmental agency to have this
  access to your personal life ?
  
  Issue 4
  This information MUST BE PUBLISHED BY LAW.  With all of the 34 items above,
  it will be very easy to identify you.  This information will be sold without
  restriction.
  
  Issue 5
  Notice that RACE is a required element.
  
  Issue 6
  Does the state need to know your prescriptions ?  Lets suppose a
  pharmaceutical company buys the information (they do in Florida- I verified
  it!!) they could mail brochures to you on drugs THEY want you to take.
  
  Issue 7
  Florida tracks only 80 surgical and medical codes.  Why does the state need
  everything ?
  
  Issue 8
  What could a divorce lawyer do with the information (custody battle, etc)
  
  Issue 9
  What about patients who are HIV+ or have AIDS ?
  
  Issue 10
  Most states (No. Carolina, Virginia, California, Utah, ) who have created a
  much more limited version have already sold or given the database to a
  PRIVATE CONCERN.  So don't be lulled into thinking that the state will
  always have control.  In the law - they are allowed to contract with ANY
  nonprofit entity that is not an insurer.
  
  WHAT CAN YOU DO ?
  
  HB 557 mandates that you CONSENT in writing EACH TIME you are treated.  That
  Hearing is set for Thursday FEBRUARY 29, 1996 in the Environmental Matters
  hearing room (Room 160) in The Lowe House Office Building in Annapolis Maryland.
  
  If you can't attend please call your representative at 1-800-492-7122.
  
  Other bills (HB 1018, HB 1030, HB 1031) related to this matter will be heard
  that day also.
  
  YOU CAN E-MAIL ME YOUR SENTIMENTS AND I WILL TAKE THEM WITH ME AND PRESENT
  THEM ON YOUR BEHALF WHEN I TESTIFY.
  
  e-mail 
  informed@access.digex.net
  
  Do not give up your right to privacy.  You must act to save it.  It is about
  to be stripped from you if you don't speak up. 
  Keep InforM.D.
  Health Care News and Legislative Services
  P. O. Box 709
  Riderwood, Maryland 21139-0709
  informed@access.digex.net