New York to Doctors: Hand Over Private Patient Information

Big Brother wants more about you from your doctor—and fast.

Last month, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo ordered health care professionals across the state to provide the “full residential address and phone number, occupation and employer name, full work address and employer phone number as well as race and ethnicity” of all patients tested for Covid-19.

On Monday, he upped the ante. The new order, obtained by Judicial Watch, mandates that doctors “collect and report whether a patient attends or works in a school and if so, the name and location of the school. This includes elementary, secondary, and post-secondary/higher education. It is also critical to list the patient’s local address if different from their permanent address.”

Health care providers must report “within three hours.” Three hours! The price of non-compliance? “Civil penalties of up to $2,000 per day.”

No mention in the advisory of privacy safeguards or limits on what can be done with the information. Medical professionals in New York understand the need for Covid-19 testing, but concerns are mounting that Cuomo is using a March state of emergency declaration to trample patient rights.

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Micah Morrison is chief investigative reporter for Judicial Watch. Follow him on Twitter @micah_morrison. Tips: mmorrison@judicialwatch.org

Investigative Bulletin is published by Judicial Watch. Reprints and media inquiries: jfarrell@judicialwatch.org