Reaction to Guidelines About the Medical Privacy Rule
Issued by HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson

July 6, 2001

"This is a constructive step that will help the organizations covered by the medical privacy rule to understand what apparently will -- and will not -- change about the ways they deal with their patients and customers. Practical guidance like this shines a light to dispel several myths about these common sense protections. I commend Secretary Thompson for another good faith effort to bring the medical privacy rule closer to implementation."