Article
#8: Health
Privacy in the Hands of the Government: The HIPAA Privacy
Regulation Troubled Process, Troubling Results
Nothing
is simple when it comes to privacy. And nothing is straightforward
when it comes to the HIPAA privacy regulation.
Privacy
is important — health privacy even more so — and
health itself is an essential good. Privacy should not conflict
with cost-effective care. But government estimates put the
cost of the HIPAA privacy rule at 17 billion dollars, and
private estimates go much higher.
HIPAA
compliance has become a profit center for
- lawyers,
-
lobbyists,
- technology
vendors,
- consultants,
and
- many
others.
The flurry of economic activity is nice, but dollars spent
on HIPAA compliance will not go to treating sick children
or keeping prescription costs down for seniors. The American
public should demand demonstrable improvements in their privacy
for this cost.
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