How does HIPAA effect information coming out of the jail and prison system regarding death?
As a result of HIPAA, the prison system does not have to provide information on “how” or “why” the inmate died. Only that he/she did. And only as a result of the four manners of death listed above. While HIPAA protects us from abuses by others of our healthcare information, it allows the prison system to withhold cause of death of its dead inmates to the public-organizations, agencies, news organizations that would be (are) able to draw attention to what is precisely tacking place within the system as a result of inadequate medical and mental healthcare. As a result of the HIPAA Act when an inmate dies within the prison/jail system today, Departments of Correction are required to provide only the “manner” of death to the public-that is, whether the death is a result of one of the following: • Homicide • Suicide • Accidental • Natural Causes All statistics for jail and prison deaths are categorized in one of these four categories. No cause of death is stated. So, for example if one were
