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Associated Press July 22, 1998 Laura Meckler Associated Press July 22, 1998 Laura Meckler Congress Won't Delay Medical IDs By LAURA MECKLER Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) -- Prompted by questions about patient privacy rights, House Republicans considered -- but rejected -- delaying a program to give every American a computer identification number to track health care from birth to death. In a 1996 law, Congress directed the Clinton administration to implement the plan. But the administration has moved slowly, fearing sensitive information about health and medical treatments could land in the wrong hands. While the administration has implemented related portions of the law, it has yet to even issue a proposal for the patient ID in light of misgivings by privacy advocates and some doctors' groups. The ID numbers are meant to aid insurance companies that need to track medical histories as patients move from one plan to another, and to help health researchers by providing unprecedented data about the effect of treatments over a lifetime. Members of Congress did not recognize the privacy implications of what they had done until media reports about the issue came out this week, said a Republican congressional aide who worked with the House leadership in considering a delay. Leaders considered putting the plan on hold while they looked at it more carefully, the aide said. But in a meeting late Wednesday afternoon, they decided to let the law stand. The 1996 law that established the identifying code is known chiefly for allowing many Americans to keep their health insurance when they change jobs, even if they have pre-existing detrimental health conditions. The law also directed the administration to assign codes to health care providers and insurance companies. Those plans are moving forward. AP-NY-07-22-98 1924EDT -- The silver-list is a moderated forum for discussion of colloidal silver. To join or quit silver-list or silver-digest send an e-mail message to: [email protected] -or- [email protected] with the word subscribe or unsubscribe in the subject: line. To post, address your message to: [email protected] List maintainer: Mike Devour <[email protected]>
