[Med-privacy] More re: Gore

[Peter Marshall]

NEWS PROVIDED BY:
Health Information Privacy Alert
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GORE RAISES PROFILE OF MED PRIVACY IN ELECTION
Medical privacy has gained a much higher profile in the 2000 election
as Vice President Al Gore promised to protect the confidentiality of
patient records at a  Sept. 19. town hall meeting  in North Hills,
Calif. The focus on medical privacy continues a trend by the
Democratic candidate to attack business interests, particularly
pharmaceutical companies and health insurers.

Gore specifically criticized "big" drug and insurance companies were
sharing and selling private medical information without patient
consent and frequently without patient knowledge. Referring to these
companies as "powerful interests," Gore said personal medical
information should not be treated as a commodity for sale on the
market.

Stating that he would push for a medical privacy law if elected, he
proposed three steps to protect medical data:

   * Legally requiring anyone who handles medical data, including
     employers and insurers,  to keep that information confidential;
   * Impose tougher penalties for improper use of data; and
   * Passage of tougher genetic antidiscrimination laws to protect
     people and encourage them to get medical screenings when
     appropriate.

Even before the press conference was underway, the Health Insurance
Association of America slammed Gore for using "scare tactics to impugn
health insurers' record on protecting consumers' confidential
information.." Association president Chip Kahn warned: "This kind of
fear mongering is unconscionable. It also poisons the relationship
between consumers and the companies that provide them with their
health coverage."