[Med-privacy] B.C. medical data privacy

[pmarshall]

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B.C. ignores privacy to outsource medical data to U.S.

10-year contract worth $324 million awarded to Maximus Inc.

Victoria - The British Columbia government has privatized the processing =

of medical claims to U.S.-based Maximus Inc. for 10 years at a cost of=20
$324 million - despite concerns raised just last week in a damning=20
report by the province's privacy commissioner.

The contract, announced Thursday by the Liberal administration of=20
Premier Gordon Campbell, comes with six months to go in the government's =

mandate and could be renewed for a further five years when the=20
decade-long deal expires.

Last week, Privacy Commissioner David Loukidelis released an extensive=20
report concluding that the sweeping powers of the U.S. Patriot Act will=20
allow American authorities to access personal information on Canadians=20
if it ends up in the United States or if it is held by U.S. companies in =

Canada.

Despite this, Health Minister Colin Hansen claimed in announcing the=20
contract Thursday that privacy of B.C. residents is the government's=20
prime concern.

No evidence to believe government

He gave no evidence to support his statement and he was immediately=20
challenged by George Heyman, president of the B.C. Government and=20
Service Employees Union (BCGBEU/NUPGE). The BCGEU has led the fight=20
against the outsourcing of private information on B.C. residents.

=1CBritish Columbians have been double-crossed,=1D says Heyman. =1CThe he=
alth=20
services minister promised that a contract negotiated with Maximus=20
corporation would ensure the privacy of British Columbians would not be=20
compromised.

=1CLess than a week after the privacy commissioner confirmed in his repor=
t=20
that the USA Patriot Act is a real threat to the privacy of British=20
Columbians, the Campbell Liberals are rushing in to sign, seal and=20
deliver a deal!

=1CMinister Hansen said back in April that his government would be seekin=
g=20
advice from the privacy commissioner. Well, last week Commissioner=20
Loukidelis provided his advice by way of 16 extensive recommendations.=20
Either that wasn=19t the advice the minister was looking for or he never =

wanted it in the first place.

FBI could have access

=1CEither way, British Columbians need to know that their government is=20
cutting a deal that could potentially put their personal medical records =

in the hands of the FBI and other U.S. federal authorities," Heyman said.=


"All we know for sure is that they are proceeding with a contract=20
signed, sealed and delivered without meeting the privacy commissioner's=20
recommendations to protect British Columbians," Heyman said.

The BCGEU has already launched a lawsuit challenging the move. The=20
government said it had incorporated a subsidiary - Maximus BC - to=20
handle the contract. NUPGE

More information:
" British Columbians double-crossed, says BEGEU <http://www.bcgeu.ca/2551=
>
" BCGEU demands halt to outsourcing of private data=20
<http://www.nupge.ca/news_2004/n28oc04e.htm>
" Privacy and the USA Patriot Act=20
<http://www.oipcbc.org/sector_public/usa_patriot_act/pdfs/report/privacy-=
final.pdf>=20
pdf
" Patriot Act will prevail over B.C. privacy legislation=20
<http://www.nupge.ca/news_2004/n28oc04d.htm>
" U.S. would overwhelm feeble B.C. privacy protections=20
<http://www.nupge.ca/news_2004/n11au04a.htm>
" Quick Facts - Powers of the U.S. Patriot Act <http://www.bcgeu.ca/2440>=

" Part 1 - BCGEU Submission to Privacy Commissioner on U.S. Patriot Act=20
<http://www.bcgeu.ca/bbpdf/040806_privacy_submission_1.pdf> pdf
" Part 2 - BCGEU Submission to Privacy Commissioner on U.S. Patriot Act=20
<http://www.bcgeu.ca/bbpdf/040806_privacy_submission_2.pdf> pdf

Web posted by NUPGE: 5 November 2004


<http://www.nupge.ca/default.htm> <http://www.nupge.ca/media_releases.htm=
>

<http://www.nupge.ca/news_2004/n05no04c.htm#>Protected by Copyright=20
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