Economic Stimulus Bill Mandates Electronic Health Records for Every Citizen without Opt-out or Patient Consent Provisions, Says Group

January 26, 2009 By News Report

"Americans' electronic health records could be shared -- without their consent -- with over 600,000 covered entities through the forthcoming nationally linked electronic health-records network." -- Sue A. Blevins, IHF president.

The Institute for Health Freedom (IHF) warned today that the economic stimulus bill mandates electronic health records for every citizen without providing for opt-out or patient consent provisions. "Without those protections, Americans' electronic health records could be shared -- without their consent -- with over 600,000 covered entities through the forthcoming nationally linked electronic health-records network," says Sue A. Blevins, IHF president.

"President Obama has pledged to advance freedom. Therefore the freedom to choose not to participate in a national electronic health-records system must be upheld," Blevins said. "Unless people have the right to decide if and when their health information is shared or whether to participate in research studies, they don't have a true right to privacy."

According to IHF, provisions of the economic stimulus bill include:

"The utilization of an electronic health record for each person in the United States by 2014."
"The National Coordinator shall perform the duties ... consistent with the development of a nationwide health information technology infrastructure that allows for the electronic use and exchange of information and that ... facilitates health and clinical research..."

View Full Story

You may use or reference this story with attribution and a link to
http://www.govtech.com/security/Economic-Stimulus-Bill-Mandates-Electronic-Health.html

| More

Stimulus May Fund Medicaid Data Warehouses

Add Your Comment

Name *

Comment *

You are solely responsible for the content of your comments. We reserve the right to remove comments that are considered profane, vulgar, obscene, factually inaccurate, off-topic, or considered a personal attack.