Final Stimulus Bill Creates Government Database that Will Hold Every American’s Personal Medical...

CNS News ^

[Sub-Driver]

Final Stimulus Bill Creates Government Database that Will Hold Every American’s Personal Medical Records Thursday, February 12, 2009 By Fred Lucas, Staff Writer

(CNSNews.com) - The final version of the stimulus bill, negotiated by the Democratic leaders of the House and Senate, includes a provision creating a federal data base that will hold the personal medical records of every American, Katie Grant, spokeswoman for House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) told CNSNews.com Thursday.

The full language of the final package had not been released as of press time. But the the bills that passed both the House and Senate created an “Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology” and called for the coordinator to create a national database and a plan for “the utilization of an electronic health record (EHR) for each person in the United States by 2014.”

Asked if the provision for the “utilization of an electronic health record for each person in the United States by 2014” was in the final bill agreed to by the House-Senate conference committee, Grant said, “It is.” She later said “correct” when asked a second time if this language was in the final bill.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I just posted this:

Porkulus alert: The massive expansion in health-care regulation

[Right Cal Gal]

And of course, if you’re a private citizen like Joe the Plumber who questions the all-knowing HOLY ONE - now they can give your MEDICAL information to the media as well.

[Flash Bazbeaux]

This has been coming for a long, long, time. The question “what about HIPAA?” is wrongheaded. This database IS HIPAA. The same legislation that gave us HIPAA laid the ground work for this.

Working backwards, here’s a referene to an NPR report from June 2004, and a “Question and Answer” about standardized government-mandated “Code Sets” for describing medical conditions and occurrences, from 2000 [Clinton Administration].

From NPR:

July 22, 2004 · The Department of Health and Human Services announces plan to computerize and standardize health records over the next 10 years. The new system, which would make patients’ records available nationwide, is aimed at boosting privacy standards and improving health care efficiency. NPR’s Joanne Silberner reports.

Working further backwards,here’s a website from 2000 with information on “Code Sets”. — Note they were adopted almost a decade ago, “As HIPAA standards” — the “privacy act” makes sure that anyone can encapsulate your medical history in shorthand through the use of mandatory government codes.

http://aspe.hhs.gov/admnsimp/faqcode.htm#codesetsadopted

What code sets have been adopted as HIPAA standards?
The Secretary has adopted the following code sets as the standard medical data code sets:

International Classification of Diseases, 9th Edition, Clinical Modification, (ICD-9-CM), Volumes 1 and 2 (including The Official ICD-9-CM Guidelines for Coding and Reporting), as updated and distributed by HHS, for the following conditions:

Diseases.
Injuries.
Impairments.
Other health related problems and their manifestations.
Causes of injury, disease, impairment, or other health-related problems.
International Classification of Diseases, 9th Edition, Clinical Modification, (ICD-9-CM), Volume 3 Procedures (including The Official ICD-9-CM Guidelines for Coding and Reporting), as updated and distributed by HHS, for the following procedures or other actions taken for diseases, injuries, and impairments on hospital inpatients reported by hospitals:

Prevention.
Diagnosis.
Treatment.
Management.
National Drug Codes (NDC), as updated and distributed by HHS, in collaboration with drug manufacturers, for the following: [Note that Secretary Thompson has indicated in a letter to the NCVHS that HHS will publish an NPRM in the near future proposing to retract the adoption of NDC for all transactions save those for retail pharmacies.]

Drugs.
Biologics.
Code on Dental Procedures and Nomenclature, as updated and distributed by the American Dental Association, for dental services.

The combination of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (formerly known as Health Care Financing Administration) Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS), as updated and distributed by HHS; and Current Procedural Terminology, Fourth Edition (CPT-4), as updated and distributed by the American Medical Association, for physician services and other health related services. These services include, but are not limited to, the following:

Physician services.
Physical and occupational therapy services.
Radiological procedures.
Clinical laboratory tests.
Other medical diagnostic procedures.
Hearing and vision services.
Transportation services including ambulance.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (formerly known as Health Care Financing Administration) Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS), as updated and distributed by CMS, HHS, for all other substances, equipment, supplies, or other items used in health care services. These items include, but are not limited to, the following:

Medical supplies.
Orthotic and prosthetic devices.
Durable medical equipment.

Can HCPCS Level 3 codes established on a local basis still be used?

No. All local codes will be eliminated. Users that need codes must apply to the appropriate organizations (e.g. CMS for HCPCS codes, the AMA for CPT-4 codes) for national codes.

Where can I get more information about the code sets?
ICD-9-CM: Official version is available on CD-ROM from the Government Printing Office (GPO) at 202-512-1800 or FAX: 202-512-2250. The CD-ROM contains the ICD-9-CM classification and coding guidelines. Versions of ICD-9-CM are also available from several private sector vendors.

CPT-4: Official version is available from the American Medical Association. Versions are also available from several private sector vendors.

HCPCS: Information about HCPCS is available from the CMS by searching their web site at http://cms.hhs.gov.

Code on Dental Procedures and Nomenclature: Official version is available from the American Dental Association at 800-947-4746.

NDC: Official versions of the files are available on the Internet at http://www.fda.gov/cder/ndc/index.htm. NDC codes are also published in the Physicians’ Desk Reference under the individual drug product listings and “How supplied.” The supplements are available quarterly on diskette from the National Technical Information Service at 703-487-6430.

[Mr. K]

then you get a tattoo on your hand or forehead to keep your record 100% secure...

Soon you cannot buy or sell unless you have the mark.

Anyone researching laser applied invisible tattoo?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Selected Elites records will be kept on a special BLACK Server and Data-Base....only the KGB will have access to those!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

bump and ping.

[Diogenesis]

America, February, 2009

Medical Records Held by the State and Federal Government is Privacy
Rationing Healthcare Creates Jobs
Censorship of Opposing Views is a Fairness Doctrine
Four Score Missing Nuclear Weapons Computers is Security
A Two-tiered Tax System is Fair
Extra Healthcare for US Officials and their families is Equality
Eliminating US Military Capacity is Increasing Strength
Freed, Armed Terrorists Make for Improved American Safety
Censorship for US Officials at their Whim is Transparency
War is Peace (*)
Freedom is Slavery (*)
Ignorance is Strength (*)

[ * from 1984, Orwell; rest instituted by President Obama ]

[TxAnn56]

“The health care provisions in this bill would have denied him surgery and he’d be in his grave by now.”

I’m sure elitists like him and his ilk will be able to get the health care they want. Tom Coburn (R), the senator and DOCTOR from Oklahoma really slammed it today. The thought of the govt. deciding how much my life is worth is like some sci-fi movie.

[Diogenesis]

[Arizona Carolyn]

Considering they cannot keep our credit card information secret, I don’t trust them to keep my medical information secret..

[keepitreal]

I wrote to most Senators earlier in the week about the violation of our right to privacy by implementation of this provision. Got nothing back but happy talk.

I also contacted the ACLU and the AARP about privacy concerns - they are all on board of the stimulus bill, not caring about this provision. Seems that the ACLU doesn’t really care about the Bill of Rights when the price is right.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

ACLU= American Communist Lawyers Union....of course they don’t care...

[keepitreal]

Planned Parenthood is the same. Nothing like “freedom of choice” when each of the client’s abortions is reported to the government. You would think these liberal groups would be hollering.

[Salamander]

Thanks.
I feel much better now.

[Jacquerie]

Time for the lawsuits on this outrageous intrusion of privacy to begin.

It sure is. Without a nationwide database, Obamacare would be difficult to implement.

[Arizona Carolyn]

to make matters worse, his favorables have done nothing but go up all this week.

[rintense]

Yep, exactly right.

[The Great RJ]

I suppose no one is going to ask for our permission to copy our private medical data from our physicians to the government.

[ridesthemiles]

So much for HIPA”

This is a target rich environment for the lawsuits.

Meanwhile, my vet will become a very good friend.

[paulycy]

Examine this!