If our nations health insurance companys view pregnancy as a medical condition, then I think that the HIPPA privacy rules would apply regarding not sharing a patients medical condition or status with a third party. Could this reasoning be used to stop doctors offices from giving out this private patient information? In order to circumvent HIPPA, mothers would be asked to sign a release or opt out of the privacy act. Writing Health and Human Services and CMS, formerly Medicare and Medicaid may result in them warning physicians that sharing patients names put them on formula company lists without their permission means they are out of compliance with HIPPA. Just a thought. Just having a state Medicaid processing number for selling breast prosthesis and mastectomy bras makes us obligated to comply with HIPPA for DME, durable medical equipment. We suppliers, just like doctors, are afraid to be censured for HIPPA violations. Judy Ritchie Date: Tue, 7 Jan 2003 22:51:33 -0500 From: Ellen Mahony <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Disgust at formula companies I think the obstetrical offices are putting mothers on formula lists, so I intend to start complaining there, too. Any other ideas on how mothers get put on lists? *********************************************** To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest) To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet All commands go to [log in to unmask] The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html