[jimtorr]

""the insurance companies and HMOs) look at my medical records without my consent.""

Yes, that is correct. However, if you want the x-ray technician to know why you are in his office, he needs to see some of your medical records. If you want your insurance company to pay your doctor, they need to know what they are paying for.

Under the regulations that the Clintons wrote, you would have to sign a release form specifically for each case I've noted, and every time.

Try reading what the new regulations actually say, not just what the slime-ball press and Kennedy say about them. You will find that there are many safeguards in them that do not even exist today. Even this misleading articel mentions several new protections.

[Iwo Jima]

"if you want the x-ray technician to know why you are in his office, he needs to see some of your medical records."

You don't know anything about medicine, do you? The doctor gives me a slip of paper to give to the x-ray technician telling him to take an x-ray of my right knee (or whatever). The tech never sees my medical records. Doesn't want to. Doesn't need to. He doesn't know or care why the doctor wants an x-ray. I don't sign any consent for the tech.

[bonesmccoy]

Actually, IHMO, third party payors (like health insurance companies) have no reason to evaluate the specifics for a patient visit. However, Clinton attempted to force data sharing between the insurers and providers. The third party payors do not need to be making database systems to pivot and rotate data (invading patient privacy in the process).