HHS Secretary Delays Medical Records Protections

March 12, 2001 HHS Secretary Delays Medical Records Protections In February 2001, Tommy G. Thompson, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), said he would delay and reconsider rules that President Bill Clinton issued in late December 2000 to protect the privacy of people's medical records. Mr. Clinton said the privacy rules would affect virtually every doctor, patient, hospital, pharmacy and insurance plan in the country. The health care industry lobbied President George W. Bush's administration to delay or change the rules, saying they would disrupt routine operations and impose costly burdens. Mr. Thompson said . . .