Hungry hungry HIPAA For a change, the unwieldy U.S. bureaucracy might save the day.
Or at least offer us a reprieve in the battle to protect our medical
privacy. I've updated you several times on the impending threats to your
medical privacy in recent months, and the new regulations kicked
into gear by HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act of 1996). Well, apparently, I'm not the only
one sending up red flares. When Tommy Thompson's grand plans to convert all medical
records into an electronic form that could be accessed anywhere,
anytime, were revealed, a few other feathers were ruffled, too.
Namely, the feathers at the Government Accountability Office
(GAO). The GAO has uncovered a litany of potential problems with the
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) plan.
Maintaining privacy and security standards is one of them, which
you and I share. Other sticking points include a possible breach of anti-kickback
laws and the invitation this kind of information-sharing might give
to setting up abusive or illegal arrangements. For example,
hospitals or drug companies might try to provide doctors with free
services, like information technology resources for their clinics,
which may lead the doctors to refer more patients their way. That's
a big one -- very illegal. Those are just a couple of the places where this internal
government watchdog department -- assigned with risk assessment
and impact analysis of big political ideas -- has found fault with the
plan. There's 64 more pages where they came from, not to mention
weekly memos flying back and forth between the offices of the
GAO and HHS. While the GAO doesn't have the authority to put the kibosh on the
whole thing, they do wield some power. Stay tuned for more
information as it crops up… Surely, the day will come when they
figure this mess out. And in the meantime, practice keeping your
records as private as possible. When it's all said and done, maybe
we'll end up on the winning side of the coin after all. **************************************************************
Is Your Cholesterol High Enough? That’s right…get your cholesterol way over 200… Take naps instead of
running laps… Refuse to eat 5 to 10 servings of vegetables everyday! Surprised? That’s just a taste of how shockingly satisfying real health
can be. Next time anyone nags you to give up your favorite things, turn
the tables and ask:
Are you getting enough sun to prevent the world’s most dreaded cancers?
*Are you exercising so hard that it’s hardening your arteries?
*Are you drinking so much water that it’s watering down your memory?
*Are you eating enough eggs & bacon to ward off macular degeneration?
*Got Arthritis? Guess what! This animal fat reversed the damage in 24
hours.
Believe it or not, you can live long and love it! Find out why Dr. William
Campbell Douglass “take back your life” crusade is raising a rebellion in
the halls of medicine - and claim your 5 free gifts! http://www.youreletters.com/t/67137/2873601/651310/0/ ************************************************************** At-risk youth Q: I'm seeing advertising for HGH everywhere -- even on cable
TV. I'm tempted, but would like to know what you recommend to
your patients. JVW: I haven't, in good conscience, been able to recommend the
use of HGH for anti-aging purposes as a general rule. HGH
increases the blood level of a substance called insulin-like growth
factor-1. Studies have shown that high levels of this substance are
also associated with an increased risk of breast and prostate cancer. Of course, I am also an advocate of health care freedom, and I
sometimes have patients who insist on using HGH, and I do oblige.
But I make sure that they are aware of the risk and the studies
before they get started. I perform as much careful testing and
follow-up as possible to monitor for the development of cancer.
And I advise them to take a "full load" of cancer-preventing
nutrients, follow a healthy anti-cancer diet, and get plenty of
exercise. **************************************************************
HELP FREEZE THE EFFECTS OF AGING Uncover the 114 age-defying secrets that work hard to keep
you feeling young - and enjoying sports, sex, exercise, and
the active life for years longer than you ever thought
possible. Jump out of bed in the morning without pain, and
see yourself a decade younger in the mirror. Click below to
learn more from alternative medicine's ultimate insider about
proven ways to "Roll back the mileage." http://www.youreletters.com/t/67137/2873601/648667/0/ ************************************************************
What is…HGH? HGH, short for human growth hormone, is a natural substance
produced in our bodies that does just what its name implies – helps
us grow. It's also critical to tissue repair, muscle growth, brain
function, bone strength, energy, and metabolism. Production of
HGH peaks in adolescence and gradually declines with age. Levels
can also be impacted by stress, sleep, exercise, food intake, and
sugar levels. A 1990 study seemed to indicate that supplemental shots of HGH
in otherwise healthy adults was an anti-aging miracle. However,
subsequent studies have pointed to numerous negative effects,
particularly in increasing the risk of developing breast and prostate
cancer. Yours in good health,
Amanda Ross
Managing Editor
Nutrition & Healing Sources:
"HHS's Efforts to Promote Health Information Technology and
Legal Barriers to Its Adoption," The Government Accountability
office (www.gao.gov), 8/13/04 Yu H, Rohan T. "Role of the insulin-like growth factor family in
cancer development and progression." Natl Cancer Inst 2000;
92(18): 1,472-1,489 | 
