VA staff got into Vance, Walz medical files, sparking investigation

[SouthBayDem]

Source: Washington Post

At least a dozen employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs improperly accessed the medical records of vice-presidential nominees JD Vance and Tim Walz this summer, VA investigators found, in a violation of federal health privacy laws that is under criminal investigation.

VA officials notified the Vance and Walz campaigns about the breaches after discovering the unauthorized viewing by employees at the agency’s massive health-care arm, the Veterans Health Administration, according to people familiar with the investigation who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the ongoing investigation.

VA Inspector General Michael Missal’s office has shared evidence with federal prosecutors on the actions of several employees in the health system, including a physician and a contractor who spent extended time looking at the candidates’ medical files, according to law enforcement officials, raising investigators’ concerns about their motives.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/09/30/vance-walz-medical-records-breach-va/

[kimbutgar]

1. They should be fired immediately and sued by the federal government.

[Rebl2]

22. Absolutely

[MichMan]

2. Hope they get fired and face charges

Why does it matter what their motivations were?

[SunSeeker]

3. I guess they didn't find anything, otherwise it would have been leaked. nt.

[republianmushroom]

4. Criminal charges up coming, hopefully for those that did this.

[PSPS]

5. I'm sure the VA has its share of MAGAs who are "just following orders"

trump will promise them a pardon if convicted or drop the case via his installed MAGA AG.

[former9thward]

20. They went after both candidates.

[PufPuf23]

23. So what? Please explain. nt

[former9thward]

24. You are implying this was some MAGA

[PufPuf23]

25. I didn't imply or say anything.

HIPAA is HIPAA for all.

The violation according to the NY Post article is for looking at Walz and Vance records.

Violations are violations.

[former9thward]

27. The poster I was replying to said it was MAGA

And you jumped in and said "So what". But now you say you did not say anything. Why did you say "So what" to my comment?

[PufPuf23]

28. You replied to me. We agree in his case.

Wondered why you replied to me for something I did not say.

[former9thward]

30. Apologies.

I just replied without looking at the username thinking it was the poster.

[PSPS]

31. Walz for dirt, Vance to forewarn or just on behalf of trump

[former9thward]

33. Speculation, not evidence.

We will see when criminal charges are filed, if they are.

And no one is going to change their vote for president based on medical records of the VP candidate, which would be at least 20 years old at this point.

[PSPS]

34. Of course it's speculation. It's all speculation! I agree with everything you said.

[Tess49]

6. Hipaa violations are a big deal. When I worked at a hospital, anyone caught looking at someone's records

were perp walked to human resources and fired. Hospitals can face huge fines, and the employee can as well.

[orwell]

8. I do IT support for some medical offices...

...Hipaa is the main reason I am trying to drop them as clients. My liability is way beyond my billable hours as I am not a corporation.

[Tess49]

17. I understand. Being caught up in a HIPAA violation investigation would be terrifying in my opinion.

[orwell]

18. From what I gather...

...it can be a $5,000 fine for every breech. If I lose 5 dental x-rays it could be 25K.

No thanks...

[Tess49]

21. Or worse. Higher fines and jail time.

[Skittles]

35. it is HIPAA

yup

[Renew Deal]

7. Lock them all up

Hopefully none of them were working for spies when they did it.

[Evolve Dammit]

9. Hell Drumpf just had his goons break into his docs office in 2016 and sieze his records

[Sogo]

10. Someone's gotta be really stupid to pull that stunt.

Throw the book at 'em!

[ShazzieB]

11. Wtf is wrong with people? (Rhetorical question, no reply needed!)

I have worked with medical records in the past (just filing, in facilities where records were not yet fully automated), and this kind of thing turns my stomach.

Prosecutors are weighing, among other factors, how long employees were in the files and their intent when they looked at the candidates’ medical information.

Even if prosecutors don't prosecute every offender equally (depending on factors like those listed above), I hope these people all face serious disciplinary measures.

No doubt there will be more news forthcoming, about charges, discipline, etc. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

[bdamomma]

13. Would it be

foreign interference????

[Dear_Prudence]

14. 2 wrongs don't make a right but

Vance is all for the destruction of women's right to privacy. Of course, nobody will be tracking his menstrual periods or checking up to see whether he uses an iud or whether he has terminated any of his pregnancies.

[et tu]

15. could track lil blue pill usage

std's and penile implants
what's good for goose is good for gander type of stuff.
speak up and battle for women's rights- not going back!

[jimfields33]

26. He's 39, not 59.

[MichMan]

19. They looked at both Walz and Vance's records

[bmichaelh]

16. Once worked at a hospital

Well, that was dumb.

I once worked at a hospital.

They would do monthly reports to see if an employee accessed the medical records of patient without authorization.

[tonekat]

29. GS'ers have to take Records Management training

Do they skip that in the VA?

[SKKY]

32. As a former VA employee, unless they were being seen in the actual hospital...

... on the day those files were accessed, and by the MSA, Nurse, or Doctor actually seeing them, there is ZERO excuse. I suspect some heads will roll, and employment will be terminated quickly; if it hasn't already.