Gary Condit: “I have today introduced the Fair Health Information Practices Act of 1994. The purpose of this bill is to establish a…”

“I have today introduced the Fair Health Information Practices Act of 1994. The purpose of this bill is to establish a uniform Federal code of fair information practices for individually identifiable health information that originates or is used in the health treatment and payment process. As introduced, the bill is a stand-alone piece of legislation that could become law without reference to the larger health reform effort. I do not, however, intend to move this bill independently. The portion of the Health Security Act (H.R. 3600) that addressed confidentially of health information has been referred to the Government Operations Committee Subcommittee on Information, Justice, Transportation, and Agriculture, which I chair. The legislation that ultimately develops from today's starting point eventually will be incorporated into H.R. 3600. The introduction of a separate bill is a convenient way to organize hearings and foster discussions of this important element of health reform. The need for uniform health confidentiality legislation is clear.”