Vicki: HIPAA is something hospitals and doctors are bound to. Employers can’t directly ask them about your medical history and compel them to answer because medical people are bound by the law to not answer unless the patient agrees. But employers are not bound by HIPAA because they aren’t hospitals or doctors. They can have a requirement that says “give us documentation proving you’re vaccinated.” The employee can refuse, but since the employer isn’t bound by HIPAA – they can terminate you as a response to the refusal.
Thank you. That’s what I figured out. You meant employers could access medical records with permission only. I originally read it that they could access your records no matter what.
This is a really good explanation. It will be interesting to see who refuses and how strong a stance the employers take. The memos from your HR department sure indicate that it plans to stand strong
I read your article. Thank you. I can definitely see how asking for proof of a single vaccine would be all right. I was thinking hippa would be involved when trying to prove religious exemption. If a person has a history of vaccines for other diseases, it would be a fairly simple way for an employer to show they do not qualify for a religious exemption. But I suspect it would be difficult for an employer to request an employees entire vaccine history.
An employer can request the entire vaccine history of the employee, the employee can refuse and get terminated. Requesting directly from the hospital would be a no go because of HIPAA (I giggle everytime someone types it as HIPPA which sounds like a female hippo.)
My auto correct keeps making it history 🙂
I’d have an issue with being forced to disclose my entire vaccine history or any single health issue history. I would never have a problem providing proof of a single vaccine. This will be interesting
Hippa not history and sometimes hippo
Just as word press just incorrectly hyphenated hippo. I’ve started letting those things go
It will be difficult to disprove religious exemption if this is true so the hippo may not enter into anything
“Third, employers must excuse those employees who have a sincerely held religious belief that prohibits them from getting the vaccine. The belief does not have to be common or part of a “recognized religion.” However, it must be sincerely held — a real religious belief — and not one developed solely to avoid the vaccine. If an employee has a sincerely held religious belief, the employer will have to provide that employee with a reasonable accommodation similar to the accommodations made available to employees with disabilities.”
Joshua – Are 1M U.S. deaths inevitable?
Not inevitable. I think 800,000 deaths is inevitable. We’re at 719,000, according to Worldometer. But, let’s hope that we don’t go much past 800k.
With so much vaccine hesitancy still going on, what’s really going to stop it? Not to mention holiday season coming up with travel and all. The next few months, everybody will be almost exclusively indoors much of the time.
Joshua just curious. Does your daughter own a car? I saw on the evening news the fuel shortage in the UK. It reminds me vividly of the 1970s here. I was in middle/early high school at the time so I remember those days well.
It’s also somewhat similar to our toilet paper crisis of last year (2020) over here. 😉
Ans this is what I meant by we need to stop catering to the ill informed people with the biggest mouths. If Baker caves, he is IMO little better than many other irresponsible governors
And, while I still like Baker, I was surprised at his smug response to a question on T safety. He basically dismissed the question, saying “the MBTA is safe.” This is kind of the way he’s dealing with public health (and safety) issues lately. I’m not a fan of that.
I’m disappointed in all of our leaders. I expected more from Biden, frankly, especially with regard to public health messaging, vaccinations, and conciliatory outreach to GOP-led states. It’s been clumsy at times since May. And now I’m livid with the Democratic leadership who are preventing passage of an infrastructure package which we all desperately need. All because they want more, or be guaranteed more.
Heather Cox Richardson had a very good post this am. I have not been reading many of hers lately because she has completely ignored some major issues. But today’s helped a bit and also put some things into perspective. One that stuck out like a sore thumb is that the darn near the entire right side of our aisle is doing everything it can to derail Biden while offering absolutely nothing constructive.
I should have preceded my comment by saying I’m disgusted also but …..
As I said and have always said, they’re all the same.
It’s why I belong to no party and never will.
Masked abc vaccinated. But by all means, let’s remove masks in schools. And let’s not have a full outdoor AND indoor mask mandate
Definitely agree that the GOP is being obstructionist. Exhibit A is vaccine mandates. That’s their modus operandi, unfortunately. Still, the unforced errors among Democrats are piling up.
Exactly….one example of far too many. The far right knows its constituents want the infrastructure deal but it’s only focus is parallel to Trumps…destroy Biden at all costs. I was afraid of the extreme left also where Biden is more moderate. Extremes are literally going to destroy this country. We are in far more trouble than just the virus
I’m so allergic to extremes. When I lived in Europe I read about and even witnessed what extremes caused. I thought the U.S. would be immune to extremes. Alas, we’re not.
Thanks TK!
700,000+ (1 in every 469)
The U.S. has the most Covid-19 deaths to date followed by Brazil and India. 🙁
When will it end??
“One day – it’s like a miracle – it will disappear.”
Donald J. Trump, February 27, 2020
Which is why we’re in this mess in the first place. 🙁
EU color map, indicating hot spots: https://twitter.com/ECDC_EU/status/1443525961660702721
Vicki: HIPAA is something hospitals and doctors are bound to. Employers can’t directly ask them about your medical history and compel them to answer because medical people are bound by the law to not answer unless the patient agrees. But employers are not bound by HIPAA because they aren’t hospitals or doctors. They can have a requirement that says “give us documentation proving you’re vaccinated.” The employee can refuse, but since the employer isn’t bound by HIPAA – they can terminate you as a response to the refusal.
https://www.fox13news.com/news/hipaa-does-not-apply-to-revealing-covid-19-vaccine-status-at-work-hhs-says example article.
Thank you. That’s what I figured out. You meant employers could access medical records with permission only. I originally read it that they could access your records no matter what.
This is a really good explanation. It will be interesting to see who refuses and how strong a stance the employers take. The memos from your HR department sure indicate that it plans to stand strong
https://www.aarp.org/caregiving/health/info-2017/how-private-is-medical-information.html
I read your article. Thank you. I can definitely see how asking for proof of a single vaccine would be all right. I was thinking hippa would be involved when trying to prove religious exemption. If a person has a history of vaccines for other diseases, it would be a fairly simple way for an employer to show they do not qualify for a religious exemption. But I suspect it would be difficult for an employer to request an employees entire vaccine history.
An employer can request the entire vaccine history of the employee, the employee can refuse and get terminated. Requesting directly from the hospital would be a no go because of HIPAA (I giggle everytime someone types it as HIPPA which sounds like a female hippo.)
My auto correct keeps making it history 🙂
I’d have an issue with being forced to disclose my entire vaccine history or any single health issue history. I would never have a problem providing proof of a single vaccine. This will be interesting
Hippa not history and sometimes hippo
Just as word press just incorrectly hyphenated hippo. I’ve started letting those things go
It will be difficult to disprove religious exemption if this is true so the hippo may not enter into anything
“Third, employers must excuse those employees who have a sincerely held religious belief that prohibits them from getting the vaccine. The belief does not have to be common or part of a “recognized religion.” However, it must be sincerely held — a real religious belief — and not one developed solely to avoid the vaccine. If an employee has a sincerely held religious belief, the employer will have to provide that employee with a reasonable accommodation similar to the accommodations made available to employees with disabilities.”
Joshua – Are 1M U.S. deaths inevitable?
Not inevitable. I think 800,000 deaths is inevitable. We’re at 719,000, according to Worldometer. But, let’s hope that we don’t go much past 800k.
With so much vaccine hesitancy still going on, what’s really going to stop it? Not to mention holiday season coming up with travel and all. The next few months, everybody will be almost exclusively indoors much of the time.
Joshua just curious. Does your daughter own a car? I saw on the evening news the fuel shortage in the UK. It reminds me vividly of the 1970s here. I was in middle/early high school at the time so I remember those days well.
It’s also somewhat similar to our toilet paper crisis of last year (2020) over here. 😉
No. She uses public transit.
The fuel crisis there is a major problem, though.
Good move on her part. 🙂
My latest is on how the Biden Administration’s pandemic preparedness plan treats public health as an afterthought. https://www.forbes.com/sites/joshuacohen/2021/10/02/public-health-is-an-afterthought-in-biden-administrations-65-billion-pandemic-preparedness-initiative/?sh=40c7ee0b3815
Ans this is what I meant by we need to stop catering to the ill informed people with the biggest mouths. If Baker caves, he is IMO little better than many other irresponsible governors
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/10/02/metro/behind-states-school-masking-policy-collision-science-politics/?s_campaign=breakingnews:newsletter
Agree.
And, while I still like Baker, I was surprised at his smug response to a question on T safety. He basically dismissed the question, saying “the MBTA is safe.” This is kind of the way he’s dealing with public health (and safety) issues lately. I’m not a fan of that.
I’m disappointed in all of our leaders. I expected more from Biden, frankly, especially with regard to public health messaging, vaccinations, and conciliatory outreach to GOP-led states. It’s been clumsy at times since May. And now I’m livid with the Democratic leadership who are preventing passage of an infrastructure package which we all desperately need. All because they want more, or be guaranteed more.
Heather Cox Richardson had a very good post this am. I have not been reading many of hers lately because she has completely ignored some major issues. But today’s helped a bit and also put some things into perspective. One that stuck out like a sore thumb is that the darn near the entire right side of our aisle is doing everything it can to derail Biden while offering absolutely nothing constructive.
I should have preceded my comment by saying I’m disgusted also but …..
As I said and have always said, they’re all the same.
It’s why I belong to no party and never will.
https://twitter.com/erictopol/status/1443963542684651528?s=21
Masked abc vaccinated. But by all means, let’s remove masks in schools. And let’s not have a full outdoor AND indoor mask mandate
Definitely agree that the GOP is being obstructionist. Exhibit A is vaccine mandates. That’s their modus operandi, unfortunately. Still, the unforced errors among Democrats are piling up.
Exactly….one example of far too many. The far right knows its constituents want the infrastructure deal but it’s only focus is parallel to Trumps…destroy Biden at all costs. I was afraid of the extreme left also where Biden is more moderate. Extremes are literally going to destroy this country. We are in far more trouble than just the virus
I’m so allergic to extremes. When I lived in Europe I read about and even witnessed what extremes caused. I thought the U.S. would be immune to extremes. Alas, we’re not.
By the way, Covid is raging in parts of the Midwest. It’s an untold story, and a tragic one. I know this doctor fairly well. https://twitter.com/DrRobDavidson/status/1444391702580580356
I marked him to follow. Just needless
C-19 for 10-3 is ready.