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The week's question
In December 2024, in the thread "Re: BRK: Why Not XOM?", BreckHutHigh asked the members: "What about the long road trips with kids?" This week it is put to everyone again. The button below opens the small thread re-asking it - read what others have said so far, then give your own answer as an ordinary reply.
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Halls of Shrewd'm / US Policy
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Author: PucksFool ✧✺🐝  😊 😞
Number: of 84346 
Subject: I'm from the government...
Date: 04/29/26 7:08 PM
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... and I've come to help myself to your privacy.

wamu.org - DC trump administration access federal workers medical records

The Trump administration is seeking unprecedented access to the health records of millions of federal workers including their prescriptions, diagnoses, and doctor visits. Legal and health policy experts say the move could violate federal privacy law and Democratic lawmakers are demanding action.

This winter, the Office of Personnel Management asked 65 insurance companies for unusually detailed data on how federal employees use their health benefits. KFF Health News Washington health reporter Amanda Seitz, who broke the story, says the agency’s notice makes no mention of removing identifying information. “The names of patients, doctors, and their specific diagnoses could all be available to the federal government,” Seitz told Morning Edition host Esther Ciammachilli.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) sets strict federal standards for how health information can be shared, including by employers. Health executives and legal experts told Seitz the request appears overly broad and raises significant HIPAA compliance concerns, because employers are generally prohibited from accessing personal medical information without consent.

OPM has not publicly addressed those concerns and did not respond to KFF’s requests for comment. The agency said in the December memo that this data would be used to provide more competitive and affordable health plans.

OPM’s proposal would affect 8 million people nationally including federal workers, postal workers, retirees, and their families. In the D.C. region alone, nearly 750,000 people would be impacted.

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This community has written 84,309 posts about US Policy. The article-length ones it recommended most:
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