APNewsBreak: Gov't reverses on health care privacy problem

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By JACK GILLUM and RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration is reversing itself after an outcry over consumer privacy on HealthCare.gov, the government's health insurance website.

The Associated Press confirms that the administration made changes to the website to scale back release of consumers' personal information to private companies that analyze Internet performance and sell ads.

The AP reported earlier this week that HealthCare.gov was sending out personal data such as age, income, ZIP code, tobacco use and whether a woman is pregnant.

That prompted lawmakers to demand an explanation. Privacy advocates called for immediate changes.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20150123/us-health-overhaul-privacy-0dfcba7cac.html

[Android3.14]

1. WTF?

Just more proof that this administration panders to corporate interests as bad as any other, just different corporations.
I'm glad someone called them on it.

[groundloop]

2. I haven't heard much outrage lately about google doing the exact same thing.

I don't approve of the practice, but if the media is going to get their panties in a wad over healthcare.gov doing this then they should be equally outraged at each and every commercial website that does as well.

[Android3.14]

4. No question about it

But since when is it okay for the government to do something just because a business does it?
And
We are supposed to control this government, unlike controlling Visa or MasterCard. There are blatant HIPAA violations, such as informing someone of a pregnancy without the patient's permission, that not even insurance companies can do.

If you haven;t figured out the leadership in this country, regardless of party, is serving corporate interests first, then you have been asleep for decades.

[cynzke]

3. The personal information.....

is very limited and about half of it is probably available, accessed from other sources on the net. These miners already know your approximate age, social standing, income. They know your interests, hobbies, what you look at and what you purchase. So it is pointless to exaggerate this story but it will be nonetheless. In the meantime, given what we know about the GOP. Do you doubt for a second that they WOULDN'T sell your info to the highest bidder.