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Released: January 14, 2009

Privacy necessary to ensure success of Health IT

Coalition for Patient Privacy urges Congress to include privacy in legislation

Contact: Contact: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (202) 758-2411

The Coalition for Patient Privacy has asked the 111th Congress to include privacy protections in any federal Health IT legislation. In a press conference at the House of Representatives, the coalition sought to ensure much needed privacy protections would be included in any funding given to implement health IT systems in the proposed economic stimulus package. Without these ironclad privacy protections, consumers will not trust or participate in any electronic health system. During this event and in their letter, coalition partners called on Congress to "A.C.T.", by providing: * ACCOUNTABILITY - Hold every entity with access to health information accountable. * CONTROL - Ensure individuals control the use of their personal health information. * TRANSPARENCY - Protect consumers from abusive practices. Read Consumer Action's remarks remarks at the press conference. Read the Coalition’s letter to Congress and press release. For more information on health information privacy, visit Patient Privacy Rights For more information on health IT legislation, visit Government Health IT.