AFFIRMATIVE — MEDICAL — IMPACTS 223

LACK OF MEDICAL PRIVACY CAUSES PATIENTS TO AVOID NEEDED TESTS

PATIENTS CURRENTLY AVOID TESTS AND DCEIVE DOCTORS TO COVER THEIR MEDICAL PRIVACY

Amy Goldstein, The Washington Post, August 23, 1999, SECTION: A SECTION; Pg. A01 TITLE: Long Reach Into Patients' Privacy; New Uses of Data Illustrate Potential Benefits, Hazards // acs-EE2001

One out of six Americans have taken steps to protect the confidentiality of their medical information, according to a national survey last winter by the California HealthCare Foundation, which showed that some patients gave doctors incomplete medical information, while others paid for certain treatments or tests on their own so they would not be reported to an insurance company. Peter Basch, a Capitol Hill internist, said patients routinely ask him to use an alias when sending blood samples to a lab for an AIDS test, or not to submit claims for such tests to their health plans.

IF HIV RECORDS BECOME PUBLIC, PEOPLE WILL NOT BE TESTED

Bill Bryan; St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 18, 1999, SECTION: NEWS, Pg. A1 TITLE: LAW CAN'T HELP VICTIMS WHO WANT TO KNOW THEIR ATTACKERS' HIV STATUS; SUSPECTS CAN'T BE FORCED TO SUBMIT TO BLOOD TESTS // acs-EE2001

Ehlmann admitted that he sees the point of privacy advocates: "If records become public, no one will voluntarily take (HIV) tests. They'll be worried that their employer, and everyone else will know if they're HIV-positive."