The World Privacy Forum submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services requesting that it amend a Systems of Records Notice to address an oversight and address other privacy issues. The Forum requested that CMS add a reference in the system notice to Executive Order 13181 of December 20, 2000, “To Protect the Privacy of Protected Health Information in Oversight Investigations.” The Forum also requested that the routine uses be revised to reflect the HIPAA requirements as appropriate when the disclosures involve HIPAA records.

The World Privacy Forum and the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse have become aware of a nationwide job scam currently in action. We are advising job seekers to avoid any response to job ads coming from Macrocommerce Intersales and to be aware of the high potential for financial fraud and /or identity theft if they have already responded to job ads from this company.

EPIC filed comments with the Department of Commerce, which the World Privacy Forum joined. The Office of Technology and Electronic Commerce solicited comments on the development and implementation on “cross-border privacy rules” in the Asia PacificEconomic Cooperation Group (APEC). Seven groups submitted the comments on behalf of civil society organizations (CSO) in the United States concerned about privacy in order to urge the strengthening of privacy rules in the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Group.

This report discusses the issue of medical identity theft and outlines how it can cause great harm to its victims.

THE DANGEROUS IMPACT OF MEDICAL IDENTITY THEFT
MEDICAL IDENTITY THEFT, THE CRIME THAT HAS HIDDEN ITSELF ALL TOO WELL
THE VICTIMS’ PERSPECTIVE: LACK OF RECOURSE, LACK OF RIGHTS, AND LACK OF HELP
ELECTRONIC RECORDS, HEALTH NETWORKS, AND THE CHALLENGES MEDICAL IDENTITY THEFT BRINGS TO BOTH MEDICAL IDENTITY THEFT VICTIMS ARE FALLING THROUGH GAPS
BACKGROUND OF THIS REPORT
FINDINGS
RECOMMENDATIONS