Eastern Washington Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Chairwoman of the House Republican Conference, released the following statement after introducing the Ensuring Patient Access to Healthcare Records Act.

“As we create a 21st Century health care system that puts patients in charge of their health care decisions, this is an important step forward in ensuring transparency and access,” said McMorris Rodgers. “By allowing patients to have access to their own comprehensive medical records, we can lower healthcare costs, address market inefficiencies, and otherwise improve our health systems.”

The Ensuring Patient Access to Healthcare Records Act would clarify that a clearinghouse is permitted to use and disclose Protected Health Information (PHI) in the same manner as other covered entities under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) including for research purposes, public health purposes, and releasing an individual’s own PHI to said individual.   To ensure the continued security of these activities, the bill would maintain all criminal and civil liabilities currently prescribed by HIPAA to safeguard the privacy of individuals.

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