(April 25, 2013) A House subcommittee will take testimony Friday on whether the HIPAA privacy rule prevents people with severe mental illness from getting timely and effective treatment and puts the public at risk when they don’t receive it.
“This hearing will explore how HIPAA may interfere with patient care and public safety, either through misunderstanding, or proper application, of the law,” according to public notice of the meeting.
We agree that privacy deserves to be respected and preserved but not when doing so hurts treatment by preventing families from advocating on behalf of loved ones who are in psychiatric crisis or chronically ill. This is especially relevant for people with anosognosia, who cannot recognize their illness and seek help for themselves.
Please, write your representative and members of the subcommittee to share your story about how HIPAA laws have prevented your loved one from getting timely and effective treatment.
- WHO: Members, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
- WHAT: “Does HIPAA Help or Hinder Patient Care and Public Safety?”
- WHERE: Room 2132 of the Rayburn Office Building
- WHEN: April 26, 9 am
For more about the privacy rule, see “Understanding and Navigating HIPAA Privacy Restrictions” on our website.
Please forward this message to your friends and relatives and ask them to share their stories, too!
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