http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2553304/posts
http://www.hipaasurvivalguide.com/hit-subchapter-d/hit-170-302.php
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_public_laws&docid=f:publ005.111
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http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/69436
“Obesity Rating for Every American Must Be Included in Stimulus-Mandated Electronic Health Records, Says HHS”
Thursday, July 15, 2010
By Matt Cover, Staff Writer
SNIPPET: “(CNSNews.com) – New federal regulations issued this week stipulate that the electronic health records—that all Americans are supposed to have by 2014 under the terms of the stimulus law that President Barack Obama signed last year—must record not only the traditional measures of height and weight, but also the Body Mass Index: a measure of obesity.
The obesity-rating regulation states that every American’s electronic health record must: “Calculate body mass index. Automatically calculate and display body mass index (BMI) based on a patient’s height and weight.”
The law also requires that these electronic health records be available—with appropriate security measures—on a national exchange.
The new regulations are one of the first steps towards the government’s goal of universal adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) by 2014, as outlined in the 2009 economic stimulus law. Specifically, the regulations issued on Tuesday by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Dr. David Blumenthal, the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, define the “meaningful use” of electronic records. Under the stimulus law, health care providers—including doctors and hospitals—must establish “meaningful use” of EHRs by 2014 in order to qualify for federal subsidies. After that, they will be subjected to penalties in the form of diminished Medicare and Medicaid payments for not establishing “meaningful use” of EHRs.”
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Previously...
http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=43463
“Final Stimulus Bill Creates Government Database that Will Hold Every American’s Personal Medical Records”
Thursday, February 12, 2009
By Fred Lucas, Staff Writer
SNIPPET: “(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 database 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 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.
The legislation called for creating a National Coordinator for Health Information Technology and said that this person “shall perform the duties under subsection (c ) in a manner consistent with the development of a nationwide health information technology infrastructure for the electronic use and exchange of information.””
Also, the definition of "obesity" has changed within the last 10 years or so, adjusted so that the "ideal" weight is less than it was previously. That change alone is a significant reason that so many are considered obese, who would previously be considered merely overweight. For example, the "normal" weight range for an adult male, 6 ft 1 inches tall (73") was between 160 and 195 pounds (20.7 to 26.4 BMI) as noted in a chart in "Nutrition, Concepts and Controversies", 1997. The same "normal" range was found to be 141 to 189 pounds (BMI of 19-25) in "Fitness and Health, Fifth Edition", 2002.
Similar changes in the BMI range considered to be obese were noted, with the newer chart calling anybody with a BMI of 30 or over "obese" while the older chart called a male with a BMI of 31.1 and over "extremely overweight". Presumably, the word "overweight" wasn't abusive enough so they dummied down the definition of "obese" to include those folks.
I will note that the change in the definition of obese occurred during the Clinton administration. Given that the BMI doesn't measure body fat or fitness, and given the fact that Clinton was a liberal, I'm certain that this change in definitions had NOTHING to do with health.
Fast-forward to today, and it's easy to see that the government will use the BMI as a lever to start dictating diet to Americans.