HIPAA halts grandparents in their tracks
HIPAA Weekly Advisor, July 26, 2004
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The Telegraph Herald in Iowa used to print birth announcements after receiving phone calls or messages from proud family members. But due to HIPAA regulations, the paper had to change its process.
Before HIPAA, the paper received information of a birth over the phone, verified the facts, and ran the birth announcement the next day-a simple process that pleased new grandparents and parents alike. Under HIPAA, medical care for the mother and the newborn is considered PHI so the paper must get written permission from the new mother to print the information.
"A phone call and assurances of a grandparent are no longer sufficient," the Telegraph writes. "It's not that we distrust our callers; it's a policy change to avoid getting crossways with federal law. [We] still want to share the good news. However, we must ask grandparents to take this extra step to get that news into print."
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