HIPAA doesn’t even do that. HIPAA is worthless.
Very much like the infamous "National Do Not Call List"
Nothing more -- nothing more! -- than "feel good", "look like we're actually doing something but we're really not" legislation.
“HIPAA doesn’t even do that. HIPAA is worthless.”
HIPPA is used by the state when convenient. In doing genealogy research I discovered one of my great grandfather’s was confined to a state mental hospital in 1909. He died in 1937. I wrote to the state hospital asking for his records and proving my relationship as well as his death via state certified death certificate. The reply stated the hospital would not release his records, due to HIPPA, without a notarized statement from the patient, or the patient’s guardian (my uncle who died in 1968). I pointed out the fact all of the people they want statements from are long dead. The hospital stated they have to follow the law. My only remaining order is to obtain a court order directing them to release the documents.
In other words, the bureaucrats don’t want to be bothered.