Federal health database moves forward despite privacy concerns

The federal Office of Personnel Management announced this week that it plans to move forward with a new centralized database containing health information on millions of federal employees, despite concerns by several privacy groups (Source: “Feds move toward health claims database despite privacy fears,” ComputerWorld, June 16, 2011).

The OPM first announced plans for the database in October, but pushed back its original deadline for beginning work on it after privacy concerns were raised. This week’s notice in the Federal Registry substantially limits the scope of the database, narrows the circumstances under which information from it will be used and clarifies that only de-identified data will be released outside of OPM.

Work is expected to begin on the database on July 15.