[Born Conservative]

I wonder if Rush will discuss this today, being that it deals with medical records.

[coloradan]

If only forms 4473 had the guns, but not the purchaser's name, address, and SSN (or other identifying information).

[LiteKeeper]

INTREP -

[Mamzelle]

re: The lawsuit was brought by a group of doctors at hospitals nationwide who say the law would ban them from performing medically needed abortions. The Justice Department wants to examine the medical histories for what could amount to dozens of the doctors' patients in the last three years to determine, in part, whether the procedure was in fact medically necessary, government lawyers said.

Ital mine--there is no ID of this group or the docs in it. The reporter glossed over that important lack--makes me think he did it on purpose.

re: A lawyer for the National Abortion Federation, a plaintiff in the lawsuit before Judge Casey, told him that, over all, "many hundreds" of medical documents would be covered. The federation is a trade organization that represents abortion providers.

This is the only plaintiff mentioned.

VERY interesting thing going on here. Needs to be pinged to all interested in abortion issue.

[hocndoc]

I thought HIPPA gave the government the right to any records or group of records that it - or any of its agents - desired without supoena.

Nevertheless, since the plaintiffs opened the case, the records should be fair game as long as efforts are taken to protect the identities of the patients.

[syriacus]

Government seeks abortion records from University of Michigan AM [excerpt]

But hospitals have been reluctant to produce the information. The University of Michigan refused several weeks ago based on privacy grounds, spokeswoman Kallie Michels said Wednesday. [snip]

Michels said Wednesday that the Justice Department issued a subpoena for records of certain abortions performed by Dr. Timothy Johnson in the last three years. Johnson is one of seven plaintiffs.

Michels said the hospital would consider providing information as long as names and other identifying information is removed. She said the university is waiting to see if the court orders it to provide that information.

She added that Johnson has told Michigan attorneys that he does not think the hospital has performed any of the type abortions at isssue in the last three years. Johnson's attorneys at the American Civil Liberties Union refused to comment on the case Wednesday.[snip]

U.S. District Judge Richard Casey, who is hearing the case in New York, expressed frustration last week at hospitals' reluctance to turn over the records, according to a court transcript of a meeting with attorneys

In response to an attorney for the plaintiffs, who said the plaintiffs cannot force hospitals to surrender the records, Casey said he will "not let the doctors hide behind the shield of the hospital."

"They didn't have to be plaintiffs. They chose to be, and now they are going to get it done," Casey said.

[Mamzelle]

bump--hoping for updates