Encryption on Amateur Frequencies, HIPPA reading material!!!

[Evans Mitchell KD4EFM / AFA4TH FL / WQFK-894]

Here is an email with a link to a Ca. site that has
some much needed information on HIPPA, that we as HAMS
need to know.
Even though we have a D-Star Digital System here in Polk,
this is also needed knowledge even on Analog systems too.

Evans Mitchell
A.E.C.
Polk ARES
 

-----Original Message-----
From: dstar_digital at yahoogroups.com 
[mailto:dstar_digital at yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of John D. Hays
Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2009 2:16 AM
To: dstar_digital at yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [DSTAR_DIGITAL] Re: Encryption on Amateur Frequencies

Here is an interesting read on the topic, for _interested parties_: 
http://www.hdscs.org/hipaa.html <http://www.hdscs.org/hipaa.html> 





David B. Toth wrote:

At 02:55 PM 12/30/2008, k7ve wrote:
--- In dstar_digital at yahoogroups.com 
A group of ARES volunteers at a local shelter are in direct 
communication with the Red Cross HQ, or a hospital, or the local 
OEM. The shelter has several sick or injured individuals 
who need assistance or transportation to a hospital. The shelter
emcom hams prepare a database (Excel spreadsheet, text message, etc.) 
containing the names, addresses, SSN's, Health Insurance info, and 
other data covered by the federal Privacy Act. How do they send 
this info without violating the Privacy Act?

I worked for a major healthcare company (Doctors, Hospitals, and
Insurance) for 5 years. We dealt with HIPPA (not Federal 
Privacy Act) every day. Some information is protected, but there are
also 
exceptions and there is certainly needed information verses 
information that can be collected later.

HIPPA and Privacy are slightly different ...
HIPPA deals with not sending a person's insurance info to 
places that should not have it.
There is a cottage industry that has sprung up to screw this 
around to say that it covers all aspects of medical privacy.

It does not, but that is what Privacy Acts and institutional privacy 
policies are about.

I know this is more than anyone would want or should want to know.
Dr. Dave