Privacy is Abolished in America
by James Glaser
December 28, 2007

At one time in the United States you could feel secure in knowing that your private business would stay private. The only people who could get a look at your records would be law enforcement, and they had to convince a judge that they had a real need to see those records.

I went to an eye doctor the other day to have my vision tested for new glasses. They gave me a three page Notice Of Privacy Practices, and I had to sign a paper stating that they gave that notice to me and that I had read and understood it.

The notice tells you, "We routinely use your health information inside our office without special permission." They go on and say, "If we need to disclose your health information outside of our office we will ask for special permission

Then they have a section that states, Uses and Disclosures For Other Reasons Without Permission. "In some limited situations, the law allows or requires us to disclose your health information without your permission. Not all of these situations will apply to us, some may never cone up at our office at all. Such Uses or disclosures are:

When a state or federal law mandates that certain health information be reported for a specific purpose

For public health purposes, such as contagious disease reporting, investigation or surveillance, and notices to and from the federal Food and Drug Administration regarding drugs or medical devices.

Disclosures to government authorities about victims of suspected abuse, neglect or domestic violence.

Uses and disclosures for health oversight activities, such as the licensing of doctors, for audits by Medicare and Medicaid, or for investigation of possible violations of health care laws.

Disclosures for judicial and administrative proceedings, such as in response to subpoenas or orders of courts or administrative agencies

Disclosures for law enforcement purposes, such as to provide information about someone who is or is suspected to be a victim of a crime; tp provide information about a crime; or to report a crime that happened somewhere else.

Disclosure to a medical examiner to identify a dead person or to determine the cause of death or to funeral directors to aid in burial or to organizations that handle organ or tissue donations.

Uses or disclosures for health related research

Uses and disclosures to prevent a serious threat to health or safety

Uses or disclosures for specialized government functions, such as for the protection of the president or high ranking government officials, for lawful national intelligence activities for military purposes or for the evaluation and health of members of the foreign service.

Disclosures of de-identified information

Disclosures relating to worker's compensation programs

Disclosures of a "limited data set" for research, public health, or health care operations

Incidental disclosures that are an unavoidable by-product of permitted uses or disclosures.

Disclosures to "business associates" who perform health care operations for us and who commit to respect the privacy of your health information.

Then after all of that they give you this, "Unless you object, we will also share relevant information about your care with your family or friends who are helping you with your eye care." You can object, and keep your personal information from you family and friends, but just about anyone else in this country can find out that same information and there is nothing you can do about it. From the list above, the government seems to have just about every loop-hole open to them. Nothing about us is private anymore.

Post Script:

I registered to vote in Florida today. I needed to fill out a form and have some sort of ID like, get this, my utility bill. I took the form in and handed it to the clerk, and she didn't even ask to see my ID. In two weeks I'll get my voter card in the mail.

I also went in to get my driver's license changed from Minnesota to Florida. They want my Minnesota license, my Social Security Card, and either my Birth Certificate or my passport.

I don't know about the rest of the 50 states, but in Florida, it is easier to vote than drive.

If you are good with your computer you can find out all sorts of things about anyone. If your are not so good with it, you can pay someone (not all that much) to find that information for you. Privacy is gone!

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