Resist the Registry

Did you know your medical information could be shared with the Indiana State Department of Health WITHOUT your consent?

Hoosiers across the state have started receiving text messages regarding their eligibility for a coronavirus vaccination based on being high medical risk. Many of these individuals had no prior knowledge that their information would be shared. They certainly did not give consent for the transfer of their private medical information.

How is this possible?

It appears that the ISDH has tried to bypass HIPAA law using what they feel may be a loop-hole as described in the letter they sent providers containing the following statement:

“Please note that individual patient health information (PHI) may be shared with the Department of Health without the consent of the patient through the Treatment exception in HIPAA, found at 45 CFR 164.506. This is a referral for treatment, the treatment is the vaccination, from one provider to another. The state Department of Health is a provider for purposes of vaccine administration.”

Despite ISDH perception of the HIPAA laws many Hoosiers feel this is a violation of privacy and are angry. Do you share their sentiments?

If so, be sure to sign our petition below and spread awareness! Please send this petition to your friends, family, and acquaintances whom might have the same concerns you do.

To Whom it May Concern,

We, the residents of Indiana, refuse to allow our private medical information to be shared without our knowledge. Recently health care providers in our great state have started sharing our information with the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH). Though ISDH cited HIPAA law stating information can be shared for treatment, these individuals have not requested ,and may not even desire treatment. We expect our protected health information to be safe with our providers. This breach of trust is unacceptable as patients did not request the referral or the treatment, and the spirit of the law would dictate that the desire for treatment must be present for the transfer of information. We must not allow for this to continue. Hoosiers have the right to privacy.
We ask that these breaches are corrected and that our right to medical confidentiality is fortified. We demand that patient information shall not be shared by a physician, physician group, hospital, or other provider regarding eligibility for vaccination without authorization of the individual. Patients may not be added to a registry, consult, or contact lists of a State or Federal agency, a pharmacy, clinic, or vaccination distribution site without prior signed authorization of the patient.

Respectfully,

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