Invasion of Medical Privacy Mandated in Porkulus Bill

Republican Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins both of Maine are voting for this massive porkulus spending bill even though they say they are against a very controversial provision in it that creates a government database that will control the personal medical records of all Americans.

Another Republican Senator, Arlen Specter said yesterday on Fox News that he would not vote for this bill if this provision was in it. I personally think that's BS, but we'll see.

Update 5:50pm Eastern. Specter votes …Aye.

The bill actually says the database is designed to allow for government access to patients personal information to "help guide medical decisions at the time and place of care." If this is not an invasion of privacy I don't know what is.

Interesting how Democrats constantly complain about invasion of privacy issues, until it benefits them. Even though I'm not sure how this benefits anyone.

Stimulus Bill Creates Mandatory Medical Records Database

The bill calls for the creation of a federal “Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology.” This office will be responsible for creating the national database and a plan for “the utilization of an electronic health record (EHR) for each person in the United States by 2014.”

The House version of the bill said the database would be used, among other things, to provide “appropriate information to help guide medical decisions at the time and place of care” and improve “coordination of care and information among hospitals, laboratories, physician offices, and other entities through an effective infrastructure for the secure and authorized exchange of health care information.”

Critics argue that it is an invasion of privacy and also a precursor element of a national health care plan that will be used to guide the rationing of medical services by the federal government.

“I think they [Americans] should be able to opt out and before such a thing is established that opportunity will be provided,” Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) told CNSNews.com.

But “the important thing is that we get a stimulus package enacted quickly so that we can begin to, hopefully, create pro-growth energies in the economy,” Bingaman said. “There are going to be a lot of details in there we will have an opportunity to correct to the extent it’s required down the road.”

That's interesting, "we never have time to do it right, but we always have time to go back and fix it." More political BS.

BTW: The medical records database is expected to cost taxpayers $19 billion dollars.