[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 38 (Tuesday, March 16, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H1489]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            HEALTH CARE REFORM IS NOT AN INVASION OF PRIVACY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Garamendi) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, a few moments ago, we heard one of the 
most outrageous charges I've seen in many, many days and heard in many 
days around here concerning the health care bill. The notion that 
somehow the health care bill overrides the HIPAA law that's more than a 
decade over is foolish nonsense.
  The privacy remains for every individual in America under the HIPAA 
law, and in no way does the health reform bill invade or change in any 
way the HIPAA law, which provides privacy on all medical records, 
whether they are with your local doctor, the clinic, the hospital, the 
Federal Government. Whether you are on Medicare, Medicaid, or whatever 
program you are in, your privacy is assured by a decade-old law. And 
what will be before us in the days ahead is a change not in the HIPAA 
law, but in other sections of the laws pertaining to health care in 
America.
  There is absolutely no truth whatsoever that the privacy of 
individuals are in any way changed by the bills that we will be taking 
up in the days ahead.

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