Ann W. Latner, JD writes: This month we revisit a very important privacy case which held that a violation of medical privacy under HIPAA could lead to tort liability under state law. The case lingered in the courts for a total of almost 12 years, reaching the state supreme court twice, and set new precedent…
Category: Healthcare
The Government Needs to Get a Warrant if It Wants Access to Our Private Health Information
Nathan Freed Wessler writes: The Drug Enforcement Administration is once again trying to access private prescription records of patients — this time in New Hampshire — without a warrant, despite a state law to the contrary. Today the ACLU filed a brief in support of the state of New Hampshire’s fight to defend the privacy…
E.D.Cal.: There’s no REP in the cell or room of the state’s mental hospital
I’m not sure I understand the court’s reasoning here. Or maybe I do understand but do not necessarily agree with it? Via FourthAmendment.com, their summary: There is no reasonable expectation of privacy in the cell or room of person under civil commitment. It’s not a jail and there are limited constitutional protections inside. Leonard v….
Comcast is working on an in-home device to track people’s health
Christina Farr reports on what’s in the works at Comcast: The device will monitor people’s basic health metrics using ambient sensors, with a focus on whether someone is making frequent trips to the bathroom or spending more time than usual in bed. Comcast is also building tools for detecting falls, which are common and potentially…