MEMORANDUM

A meeting of the Law Revision Commission Committee on Confidentiality of Medical Records has been set for Wednesday, June 10, 1998, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in Hearing Room 1A in the Legislative Office Building, Hartford, CT. On behalf of the Law Revision Commission, I would like to thank you for assisting the Commission in this process.

The meetings will be directed by Commission members Joseph J. Selinger, Jr., as Chair, and Commission members William R. Breetz, Mary Anne O’Neill, and Joel I. Rudikoff. Commission Chief Attorney David L. Hemond will serve as reporter/drafter and will present a preliminary outline of background and committee goals at the June 10 meeting.

For further assistance in developing methodology and perspective, we have invited K. King Burnett, Chairman of the committee that acted for the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws in preparing the Uniform Health-Care Information Act, to address this committee at a meeting to be held on July 8.

For purposes of the June 10 meeting, I am enclosing the following material:

1. The request of the Cochairs of the Public Health Committee and the Judiciary Committee of the Connecticut General Assembly that the Connecticut Law Revision Commission undertake a review of the laws concerning the confidentiality of medical information.

2. Copies of and information concerning proposals for comprehensive confidentiality laws, including:

a. The Uniform Health-Care Information Act promulgated by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws.

b. A proposed bill, House bill 1498, An Act Protecting the Privacy of Medical Records, introduced in 1997 in Massachusetts.

c. Information concerning Federal Health Information Activities, including a bill proposed by Senator Bennett (R_UT) designated the "Medical Information Confidentiality Act of 1998".

d. A statement by Senator Leahy (D_VT), introducer of the "Medical Information Privacy and Security Act" (S.1368) concerning the privacy of medical records.

3. A 1987 Connecticut Law Revision Commission analysis of Connecticut statutes concerning confidentiality of medical records and the proposed uniform act.

4. A release prepared by Peter Kane concerning the importance of the confidentiality issues and attached analyses concerning the current state of Connecticut law.

5. The recommendations of the Secretary of Health and Human Services concerning "Confidentiality of Individually-Identifiable Health Information".

6. A list of Advisors and Law Revision Commission members on the committee.

7. A list of meeting dates through the end of the summer.

The meeting agenda is as follows:

1. Introductions.

2. Brief presentation by Commission Chief Attorney David Hemond concerning the scope of the project, salient issues, and timetable.

3. Discussion by advisors of their points of view, concerns, and recommendations for process.

4. Consideration of process and possible preliminary committee actions.

5. Other business.

If you have questions, please give me a call.

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