Fed: HIC confirms plan to release Medicare data

AAP General News (Australia)
12-03-1999
Fed: HIC confirms plan to release Medicare data

The Federal Government has confirmed plans to make large amounts of Medicare data available
to insurance companies, law firms and state health bodies.

But the organisation that manages Medicare, the Health Insurance Commission, says private
patient information will remain confidential.

Commission spokesman BRYAN RICHARDS says it plans to allow access to information such
as the number of consultations by doctors in a set period, or data on how many specific
pathology tests have been ordered.

The Australian Doctors' Fund says the Commision's plan conradicts privacy safeguards
outlined in its annual report.

But Dr RICHARDS says the Commission simply wants to make more data publicly available,
and there are no plans to sell private patient information.

AAP RTV eg/jg/rp/jn

KEYWORD: MEDICARE (CANBERRA)

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