Health Care Confidentiality (H 5561A, S 0459A)

The General Assembly rolled back health care confidentiality rights with passage of legislation allowing health care providers to disclose a patient’s personal medical information to law enforcement under a variety of circumstances, including when the provider believes the patient is a suspect or victim of a crime, or may possess information about a suspect, fugitive, material witness or missing person.  In April, the ACLU testified before the House and Senate Judiciary committees that permitting this sort of disclosure without the patient’s consent inappropriately turns health care providers into de facto law enforcement operatives, taking their emphasis away from patient care to crime solving. Further, fear of this disclosure may lead some in need of medical attention to forego care if they are concerned about the disclosure of their private information to law enforcement.  Notwithstanding these concerns, the General Assembly passed the legislation.  The ACLU, R.I. Medical Society and many other advocacy groups unsuccessfully sought a veto of the bill from Governor Chafee.