Walz and Vance’s medical files viewed illicitly by veterans department staff
At least a dozen department employees are believed to have improperly viewed the files, prompting an investigation
Robert Tait in Washington
Mon 30 Sep 2024 10.11 EDT
A criminal investigation is under way after staff at the US Department of Veterans Affairs illicitly accessed the medical records of Tim Walz and JD Vance, the Democratic and Republican vice-presidential nominees.
At least a dozen employees – including one doctor and one contractor – at the department’s healthcare body, the Veterans Health Administration, are believed to have improperly viewed the files, according to the department’s investigators.
Evidence has been passed to federal prosecutors by the office of the Veterans Affairs (VA) inspector, Michael Missal. The physician and contractor are believed to have looked at the documents for an extended period, law enforcement officials told the Washington Post, prompting concerns about their motives.
Other employees who saw the files are understood to have told investigators that they were curious about the background of two politicians who have been under public scrutiny since being elevated on to their parties’ presidential tickets.
…After the violation came to light, Denis McDonough, the VA secretary, wrote to the department’s 450,000 employees reminding them of the strict rules on veterans’ privacy.
“Viewing a veteran’s records out of curiosity or concern – or for any purpose that is not directly related to officially authorised and assigned duties – is strictly prohibited,” he wrote in an email sent on 30 August.
Looking at another person’s health information without proper authorisation contravenes the 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and can be punishable by a maximum $50,000 fine or up to a year in prison. While breaches in the healthcare industry are increasingly common due to cyber-attacks, prosecutions in individual cases are rare
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After the violation came to light, Denis McDonough, the VA secretary, wrote to the department’s 450,000 employees reminding them of the strict rules on veterans’ privacy.
“Viewing a veteran’s records out of curiosity or concern – or for any purpose that is not directly related to officially authorised and assigned duties – is strictly prohibited,” he wrote in an email sent on 30 August.
Looking at another person’s health information without proper authorisation contravenes the 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and can be punishable by a maximum $50,000 fine or up to a year in prison. While breaches in the healthcare industry are increasingly common due to cyber-attacks, prosecutions in individual cases are rare." …
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/sep/30/walz-vance-military-medical-records