Publisher’s Perspective
One of the most frequent questions I’ve been asked over the past couple weeks is, “What areas of the county are being hit the hardest with COVID-19?”
From all indications, county-level officials are taking the lead in monitoring local COVID-19 illnesses. Those officials say they can’t release information on the number of people that have tested positive in each of our cities and towns. County leaders cite the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) as their reason.
Communications Director for the City of Noblesville Emily Gaylord recently told the Reporter that county health officials were not reporting to the municipalities when someone in their city tests positive for COVID-19.
Gaylord’s statement was a surprise to me. How can our mayors and small-town leaders make decisions to protect their residents without this knowledge?
Currently COVID-19 statistics are reported daily on a national basis. Indiana officials report the number of people testing positive in the state. Indiana also breaks down the numbers by county. The Indiana State Health Department published a graphic listing the percentage of COVID-19 cases by age and gender. This past weekend the City of New York announced more than 29,000 coronavirus cases, but Hamilton County says they can’t break down the information by city/town.
People want to know the magnitude of coronavirus in their own hometown. They want to know if the safeguards being put in place by their local leaders are working. People want more information at a local level.
To the Hamilton County Health Department, county commissioners and emergency management agency, I don’t buy into your HIPAA reasoning, but I’ll offer you the front page of the Reporter to further explain why you can’t break down the information – or the reason you choose not to.
Jeff, I agree with you. I’ve asked a fellow law school classmate who has exclusively worked in health care law since 2006, and he agrees public health officials are misreading the law and more can and should be released.