Trump admin makes sweeping request for medical records of federal workers

The Trump administration's Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is seeking unprecedented access to the medical records of millions of federal workers, retirees, and their families. The proposed regulation would require 65 insurance companies covering more than 8 million Americans — including federal workers, retired members of Congress, mail carriers, and their immediate family members — to provide monthly reports to OPM with identifiable health data on their members. The proposal has prompted unease from insurers and health policy and legal experts, who are concerned about the legality of OPM acquiring such a sweeping database of sensitive health information and the agency's ability to safeguard it. Experts who reviewed the notice said the proposal was so vague they were uncertain exactly what records OPM wants, but that at minimum it would allow the agency to access medical and pharmaceutical claims with identifying information such as names and birth dates.

Source: industry

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