Lawmakers hear proposed federal rules on medical records privacy

The Legislative Committee on Health Care will hear proposed federal rules on the privacy of medical records at its Dec. 14 meeting in the Legislative Building.

Assemblywoman Ellen Koivisto, D-Las Vegas, chairs the group. She said the topics up for discussion are suicide prevention services, the cost of health insurance for small employers in Nevada, Nevada Check-up and Medicaid issues concerning Nevada's aged and disabled.

She said the state must decide whether it wishes to make formal comments to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on parts of the proposed records.

Nevada gives patients powers to refuse to disclose and to prevent others from releasing confidential communications involving his medical conditions or treatment. Nevada's exemptions include certain communicable diseases, mental illness, controlled substances, malpractice and situations in which a medical condition is the element of a claim or legal defense.

The proposed regulations would also try control the privacy of electronic records.

Koivisto said the committee will take up all those issues at the hearing, which begins at 9:30 a.m. Dec. 14.