>>From: Linda McKnight (65)

This is a plea to all those wonderful Bombers out
here. I need you all to write letters if you will as
soon as possible regarding a very important issue that
potentially affects every one of us, our children, and
grandchildren regarding our medical and personal
privacy, and I also believe our freedom and our
protection from potential terrorist acts. 

I don't know if you are aware of the changes that are
occurring in the medical privacy rules, which are part
of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability
Act. President Bush announced that he would implement
the privacy regulations but stated he planned to
"modify some rules to make them simpler and less
onerous for health care companies and practitioners."
The revised rules include a number of proposed changes
intended to address public concerns and implementation
obstacles. The rule modifications will make it much
easier for medical entities to market our personal
information and everything that is contained in our
medical records. 

The Health Privacy Project at Georgetown University
and Senator Kennedy's Committee on Health, Education,
Labor and Pensions is opposed to the changes and has
vowed to hold hearings and offer legislation to
restore the consent requirement.


The window of opportunity for letter writing ends at 5
p.m. April 26, and I apologize for the short period of
time for this letter writing campaign for you Bombers.
I offer the following web sites to get more
information. 

 
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa   
senator@kennedy.senate.gov 

I have a personal and professional position in this
matter. I fear for my job and for my privacy. Right
now, are any of you aware that most all of the large
medical practices and hospitals across the country
potentially could be sending portions of their
physician's dictations and medical reports to be
transcribed and coded or processed through more than
58 out-source companies located in India? The
physicians and hospitals have found that this is much
more affordable than hiring American workers. They can
pay the Indian companies approximately 9 cents a line
or less than $4.00 per hour. The income for an Indian
transcriptionist is approximately $100 per month.
Locally, Oregon Health Sciences University, Dept. of
Veteran's Affairs, and several doctors within my own
practice, Northwest Cancer Specialists division of US
Oncology, are engaging in this service. Granted we are
assured that the information is encrypted and
decrypted so that piracy does not occur, but I am
not convinced and am extremely skeptical of the whole
situation. 

I feel that our National security is once again being
compromised. Have we not learned anything from
September 11? I also feel that the amount of
unemployment occurring nationwide and specifically in
the state of Oregon is the result of the ripple effect
of September 11, so why are we not protecting the
rights of American workers and American workers'
privacy? While looking at the above links, one web
site spoke about an FBI terrorist alert regarding
banks nationwide. 

The terrorism of September 11 tried to destroy not
only human life, but demolish our government. They
were going for the ruin of us financially. What is to
stop the terrorists of the future from destroying us
individually through our medical records? The medical
information potentially contains date of birth, social
security numbers, addresses, phone numbers, and next
of kin. I do not believe that our medical society is
being very responsible to their patients by allowing
these foreign businesses access to our records and our
histories. What do you think? The window of
opportunity ends on April 26 at 5 p.m. Check out the
web site at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa. There is a
letter prepared for you to sign and send. The best way
is electronically at this late date. If you would also
address your concerns regarding the foreign access to
our medical records and privacy matters, I would be
most grateful. The jobs of al! l medical records
personnel, medical coders, data processors, insurance
claims representatives, and medical transcriptionists
are on the line. Our doctors have informed us that
this is necessary to save money. I believe it is only
to further line the physician's pockets. At stake is
the freedom of each American.

We have had meetings locally regarding the HIPPA
regulations and changes. I queried our speaker at one
of the meetings about our privacy issues and September
11. Her response was if the Indian companies are in
breech of their privacy contract, the contracts will
be terminated. That is not a good enough answer for
me. What about you folks? 

Thanking you in advance for your wonderful Bomber
help. 

Linda McKnight (65) - 
from Milwaukie, Oregon where the sun is trying to shine!!!