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Abstract:
No comprehensive federal law now protects the privacy of people's medical records. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 mandates that if Congress fails to enact such legislation by August 1999, the secretary of health and human services must promulgate regulations. This paper argues that health privacy legislation is necessary both to improve patient care and to enhance the reliability of the health information used for research and public health initiatives. Within this framework I review pending federal health privacy legislation and make recommendations for moving forward.