[Iwo Jima]

I do not understand. Why is this a proper function of the federal governement? What existing problem are we trying to solve? I have not heard of many problems with getting consent when needed for medical treatment. If the Clinton regulations are bad, GET RID OF THEM. Don't replace them with another set of federal regs which may be better and may be worse. Get the federal government out of it . Period.

Please tell us how our medical care is going to be better once the federal government puts out these regulations REGARDLESS of what they say or who puts them out.

[MassRepublican]

I agree - the Federal Government has created so much red tape in hospitals in the name of fighting Medicare Fraud, that now MILLIONS of Health Care dollars are spent trying to be "Compliant", to bill "corectly", to meet "regulations", and now this nonsense of HIPPA (hospital improvement of privacy protection act). They throw in buzz words like Privacy and Fighting Fraud and other gems that get the public to buy into all of this. If you really knew how much money was being spent to meet all these regulations you would be appalled.

[Dave S]

Please tell us how our medical care is going to be better once the federal government puts out these regulations REGARDLESS of what they say or who puts them out.

UNTIL these new regs go into effect in 2003, the insurance companies and HMO's ARE free to sell your private medical information to outsiders for marketing use (ie. trying to sell you Depends, ads for various prescriptions, etc. They are already doing it. UNTIL THESE REGS GO INTO EFFECT YOU HAVE LITTLE PRIVACY. Does that help put this in perspective?

[My2Cents]

I do not understand. Why is this a proper function of the federal governement?

Actually, it's a bit late to be asking the question. HIPAA passed Congress in 1996. It mandated that Congress come up with federal privacy standards by 2000, and if Congress failed to do so, the responsibility to come up with a federal privacy standard would fall to Health and Human Services. So, HHS followed the mandate of the HIPAA law. One might argue that we don't need a federal standard, but Congress, in it's infinite wisdom, deemed one necessary in 1996.