Latest news with #HIPPA
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
DC mayor presents 2026 budget amid forced cuts, impacts from federal job loss
WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser to the public Tuesday, which includes a $21.8 billion operating budget. 'We feel very good today. It's budget day which is always a good day for us,' Bowser said. ' … We are proud of the work we've done and the decisions we've made. And this is a budget for D.C.'s future.' The budget comes amid massive changes to the federal government, including an estimated loss of 40,000 federal jobs in the District, which is expected to reduce D.C.'s revenue by $1 billion over the next four years. PREVIOUS COVERAGE Council expects to receive 2026 budget soon after meeting with Mayor, CFO The budget also accounts for federal interference that gutted the District's current FY 2025 budget by more than $1 billion. 'With this budget, we're not waiting for change to happen – we're making change happen. The Growth Agenda is about creating jobs for D.C. residents and generating the economic activity we need to keep D.C. a world-class city,' said Bowser. 'This budget acknowledges the challenges we are facing, but also includes bold, forward-thinking solutions to change our economic trajectory.' PREVIOUS COVERAGE: DC councilmembers request to meet with Mayor, CFO amid 2026 budget delays FISCAL YEAR 2025 SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET The presentation of the 2026 budget was delayed by nearly two months, after Congress passed a continuing resolution in March that reverted D.C. back to 2024 spending levels. The city administration was forced to deal with a $1.13 billion gap and cut funding accordingly. That resulted in the FY 2025 supplemental budget. To address the gap, the mayor first implemented the '6% solution,' which allowed D.C. to increase spending levels by 6% across all categories. Ultimately, the District was forced to reduce spending by $347 million in fiscal year 2025. A hiring freeze was implemented on all vacant positions, resulting in $63 million in savings. $175 million in non-personnel service reductions were made. Those cuts included contracts, grants, supplies and more. New programs that had not started yet were stopped, including the Child Tax Credit, which has been eliminated — an issue that was pressed by several councilmembers during the questioning portion. It also halts the Baby Bonds Program which officials said faced legal challenges because it required Medicaid to share HIPPA information. $3 million was cut from the Safe Passage program, a program that helps students safely get home from school. The program will remain intact during the school year but will not operate during the summer months. No furloughs, layoffs or facility closures were proposed. FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET To build the 2026 budget, Bowser said she considered three questions. 'Does this investment keep people and families in D.C. and attract new residents or attract new residents? Does it create economic activity to fund city services and programs? And does it attract new businesses and create new jobs for D.C. residents?' said Bowser. 'If the answer to those questions is 'no,' that's something we look very hard at.' The largest percentage of funds was given to the District Department of Transportation and the District of Columbia Public Schools. Highlights of the budget include cutting 'red tape,' making it easier for businesses to operate. Those include repealing Initiative 82, which would've required restaurants to pay a base minimum wage, not including any tips. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Hospitality workers rally in DC to save Initiative 82 The proposal repeals the Parking Benefit Equivalent Program, which required businesses to provide a transit stipend if the business provides a stipend for parking, and reforming TOPA, or the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act. The budget increases $30 million in spending for MPD to hire more officers, create a new horse mounted unit and purchase crime fighting technology. $681 million is earmarked for supporting horizontal construction and parking at the old RFK Stadium Site. This, as Bowser and the Commanders struck a deal to bring the team back to D.C. $500 million of that funding will come from the existing ballpark tax, which was freed up after D.C. paid off its debt for building Nationals Park early. In terms of school funding, $2 billion will be used to modernize 30 schools, $270 million will support pay raises for teachers and $148 million will be used for small capital improvements like HVAC and window replacement at schools. There is $3 million proposed for high impact tutoring. The Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund will be fully funded in fiscal year 2026, but not beyond that. Gone from the budget is funding to build a new jail. According to City Administrator Kevin Donahue, the cost to build a new jail has ballooned to $1.4 billion. Instead, the District will shift to a privately funded jail that is staffed and run by D.C. employees. 'This is not a private entity running the jail,' Donahue said. 'This is an answer to a problem that is, how on earth to do we close the [jail] … in a timely manner,' he explained. One councilmember pushed back asking how this year would be different from last year when the same idea was pitched. Funding is included in the budget to finish the planning process for the jail. DGS will issue an RFQ and RFP for a private entity to take out the debt and build the jail. Changes are also coming to D.C.'s Medicaid program. Because Medicaid costs are forecasted to increase by $182 million, Bowser proposed changing the eligibility requirements. Specifically, the plan aims to 'shift childless adults and adult caregivers between 138% – 200% of the federal poverty level to a new health plan run by the D.C. Health Benefits Exchange with largely the same benefits, minimal to zero premiums and out-of-pocket costs, and ability to utilize existing managed care organizations to avoid coverage disruptions,' according to the Mayor's presentation. This will impact more than 25,000 people. The mayor's team said that those individuals who will lose access to Medicaid could still be eligible for other coverage, federal tax credits and premium subsidies, or financial assistance programs at the federal level. The Deputy Mayor of Health and Human Services said the District will work with them to find new coverage. 'We're going to work with the exchange… (and) look at the commercial marketplace to work with those individuals that will lose coverage under Medicaid,' said Deputy Mayor Wayne Turnage. Paid Family Leave also took a hit in the proposed budget in an effort to balance overtime costs. Families wanting to take leave to care for another family member is limited to two weeks and only includes immediate family. The Child Tax Credit was not reintroduced for the FY 2026 budget after its proposed cut for the FY 2025 Supplemental Budget. Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker said he looked forward to seeking to reverse this decision with the council. Electrification programs and renewable energy purchases are being scaled back, sparking at least two councilmembers to convey concern regarding the District's climate commitment. COUNCIL SCHEDULE The council will begin holding hearings on the budget on Thursday, May 27. It's expected to take its first vote on the budget July 14. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Nurse assistant with autism pens cease-and-desist to RFK Jr. over recent proposals
FARMINGTON, N.Y. (WROC) — A proposed national autism registry by the Department of Health and Human Services sparked opposition nationwide, including nearby in Farmington. Days ago, the department contradicted that announcement describing different plans to study cases of autism. One certified nursing assistant told News 8 he feels any mass collection of confidential records has the potential to violate disability and privacy acts. Ethan Payne is a certified nursing assistant who also has autism. He said when he heard nearly $50 million was set to be invested by the Department of Health and Human Services for collecting data to study cases of autism, he immediately was concerned about how it would uphold the Americans with Disabilities Act, as well as HIPPA, and the potential of discriminatory practices. 'We have a feeling that even though they're saying it's consensual in a sense, we have a feeling it's not going to be treated as such, and it's not going to get the proper disclosures and the proper sense,' Payne said. The Department of Health and Human Services denies an autism registry is being created, despite what its director announced days prior. An official did not clarify to CBS News if the director misspoke, or if the plan was reversed. The Department did say the data platform it will use to study causes of autism will use existing datasets. Payne said no matter what is used, it cannot have a 'quick fix' approach. 'It's a very complex developmental disorder,' Payne said. 'It's a wide spectrum. You can't just say that we're going to find effective treatments in a certain time, this has taken years to even understand.' The National Institute of Health told CBS News it still plans to explore partnerships with other federal agencies including the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. An official said the dataset will maintain the highest standard of security and patient privacy — similar to the agency's cancer database. Saying, 'these efforts are not about tracking individuals.' With what Payne calls back and forth at the national level, Payne is writing to United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. himself with a cease and desist. 'This is an issue that needs to be addressed, essentially,' Payne said. 'They say it's going to be fairly transparent and all that. But we haven't seen that yet from their face.' The National Institue of Health Director said the anticipated grant funding the autism research should be awarded by September. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
17-04-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Lawmakers launch investigation into 23AndMe after bankruptcy
A group of House lawmakers launched a probe on Thursday into 23andMe's handling of customers' sensitive data following the company's filing for bankruptcy last month. In a letter to 23andMe, House Commerce and Energy Committee Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.), Reps. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.) and Gary Palmer (R-Ala.) asked the company to state its data privacy and security protections for former customers if the business chooses to sell the personal information in either a standalone sale or as part of a sale of the company. 23andMe, which filed for bankruptcy in Missouri federal court last month, is a human genetics and biotechnology company that became popular in recent years for its at-home DNA tests. The testing required customers to submit a saliva sample by mail to then receive personalized genetic reports, which has resulted in the company holding the genetic data of more than 15 million customers. 'The company is in possession of highly sensitive personal information, including biological samples, medical information and personal information for more than 15 million customers,' the lawmakers wrote in the letter to Joe Selsavage, the company's interim chief executive officer. The lawmakers noted Americans' personal health information is shielded under federal privacy laws that restrict the release of medical information, but direct-to-consumer companies like 23andMe are not covered under these laws. 'Given the lack of HIPPA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) protections, the patchwork of state laws covering genetic privacy, and the uncertainty surrounding what happens to customer information should a sale of the company or customer data and information transpire, we are concerned that this trove of sensitive information is at risk of being compromised, ' the lawmakers wrote. When the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last month, it said customers' personal information may be accessed, sold or transferred as part of a transaction and that all possible buyers must comply with its privacy policy and all applicable laws. Users are able to delete their information from 23andMe's website, though lawmakers on Thursday claimed some customers are having difficulty accessing their data online. The lawmakers pointed to reports of some customers having difficulty access their data from their 23andMe accounts due to the website being down or issues with verification codes. 'Regardless of whether the company changes ownership, we want to ensure that customer access and deletion requests are being honored by 23andMe,' the lawmakers said. The letter asks 23andMe a series of questions, including whether it plans to change its privacy statement at any point before selling customers' personal information and if it will vet prospective buyers. The Hill reached out to the company for further comment. Other government leaders have raised concerns in recent weeks about 23andMe's data privacy protocols. Earlier this week, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform sent an inquiry to the company, following the Federal Trade Commission's letter late last month.
NBC News
25-03-2025
- Business
- NBC News
23andMe bankruptcy filing sparks privacy fears as DNA data of millions goes up for sale
With genetic testing company 23andMe declaring bankruptcy and courting bidders, the DNA data of millions of users is up for sale. A Silicon Valley stalwart since 2006, 23andMe has steadily amassed a database of people's fundamental genetic information under the promise of helping them understand their disposition to diseases and potentially connecting with relatives. But the company's bankruptcy, declared Sunday, means that information is set to be sold, causing massive worry among privacy experts and advocates. 'Folks have absolutely no say in where their data is going to go,' said Tazin Kahn, CEO of the nonprofit Cyber Collective, which advocates for privacy rights and cybersecurity for marginalized people. 'How can we be so sure that the downstream impact of whoever purchases this data will not be catastrophic?' she said. California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a press statement Friday warning people that their data could be sold. In the statement, Bonta offered users instructions on how to delete genetic data from 23andMe, how to instruct the company to delete their test sample and how to revoke access from their data being used in third-party research studies. DNA data is extraordinarily sensitive. Its primary use at 23andMe — mapping out a person's potential predisposed genetic conditions — is data that many people would prefer to keep private. In some criminal cases, genetic testing data has been subpoenaed by police and used to help criminal investigations against people's relatives. Security experts caution that if a bad actor can gain access to a person's biometric data like DNA information, there's no real remedy: Unlike a password or even address or Social Security number, a person cannot change their DNA. A spokesperson for 23andMe told NBC News in an emailed statement that there will be no change to how the company stores customers' data, and that it plans to follow all relevant U.S. laws. But Andrew Crawford, an attorney at the nonprofit Center for Democracy and Technology, said that genetic data lawfully acquired and held by a tech company has almost no federal regulation to begin with. Not only does the U.S. not have a meaningful general digital privacy law, he said, but Americans' medical data faces less legal scrutiny if it's held by a tech company rather than by a medical professional. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA), which regulates some ways in which health data can be shared and stored in the U.S., largely only applies 'when that data is held by your doctor, your insurance company, folks kind of associated with the provision of health care,' Crawford said. 'HIPAA protections don't typically attach to entities that have IOT [internet of things] devices like fitness trackers, and in many cases the genetic testing companies like 23andMe,' he said. There is precedent for 23andMe losing control of users' data. In 2023, a hacker gained access to the data of what the company later admitted was around 6.9 million people, almost half of their user base at the time. That led to posts on a dark web hacker forum, confirmed by NBC News as at least partially authentic, sharing a database that named and identified people with Ashkenazi Jewish heritage. The company subsequently said in a statement that protecting users' data remained 'a top priority,' and vowed to continue investing in protecting its systems and data. Emily Tucker, the executive director of Georgetown Law's Center On Privacy & Technology, said that the sale of 23andMe should be a wake-up call for Americans about how easily their personal information can be bought and sold without their input. 'People must understand that, when they give their DNA to a corporation, they are putting their genetic privacy at the mercy of that company's internal data policies and practices, which the company can change at any time,' Tucker said in an emailed statement. 'This involves significant risks not only for the individual who submits their DNA, but for everyone to whom they are biologically related,' she said.
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Lawsuit against Amazon provides first test of WA's health data privacy law
() Amazon faces a potential class-action lawsuit on accusations the company violated a groundbreaking Washington law meant to protect the privacy of consumer health data. It's the first case of its kind. The complaint, filed in U.S. District Court in Seattle, alleges Amazon's advertising network, embedded in various phone applications, harvested consumer data without consent. This data, including location information, is then used for targeted advertising, according to the lawsuit. Passed along party lines with Democratic support in 2023, Washington's My Health My Data Act prohibits this activity. The landmark law aims to safeguard personal health data from being collected without the users' knowledge. The impetus for the law came from the U.S. Supreme Court's decision overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022. The idea was to protect people coming to Washington from states where they could be prosecuted for seeking reproductive health care. Experts also warned the data collected from period-tracking apps could be used to penalize those seeking an abortion. But the law is much broader in scope, protecting data the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPPA, doesn't cover. Since its passage, other states have considered matching Washington's standard. 'I think most people would want their health data to be private,' said Sen. Vandana Slatter, D-Bellevue, who sponsored the legislation while serving in the state House. She described the law as 'a good step toward protecting Washingtonians, and anyone who would come to visit Washington.' The legislation, requested by then-Attorney General Bob Ferguson, went into effect last spring. The attorney general's office can enforce violations through the state Consumer Protection Act, or consumers can file suit. Some critics worried this would lead to frivolous litigation, but the lawsuit filed last week is the first alleging violations of the law. This lawsuit comes not long after another in California alleged the advertising software gave Amazon 'backdoor access' to data. And yet another, filed in federal court this month in Seattle, with over a dozen plaintiffs from across the country who alleged similar surreptitious data gathering. 'Amazon collected Plaintiff's consumer health data, including biometric data and precise location information that could reasonably indicate a consumer's attempt to acquire or receive health services or supplies,' reads the complaint in the new case, filed last week. A company spokesperson said 'customer privacy is a top priority for Amazon' and denied the lawsuit's allegations. 'Our agreements with publishers prohibit them from sending us any information that could be considered Consumer Health Data under WA's My Health My Data Act, and we have long prohibited publishers from sending us precise location and biometric data,' the spokesperson said. 'If they do accidentally send us this information, we immediately discard and do not use it.' The lead plaintiff in this case, Cassaundra Maxwell, is from Lake Stevens. Maxwell used the digital marketplace OfferUp and the Weather Channel's app without knowing Amazon collected her personal data while she used them, according to the complaint. The complaint says thousands of developers have used Amazon's ad tracking software development kits, or SDKs. The lawsuit aims to create a class of plaintiffs made up of users like Maxwell across the United States. These consumers may consent to giving their data to the app they're using, such as for finding nearby weather updates. But they don't realize Amazon will then have access to that information as well and can monetize it, the lawsuit alleges. On top of My Health My Data, the lawsuit also alleges Amazon violated the state's Consumer Protection Act and several federal laws, including the Federal Wiretap Act and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. Maxwell's lawyers from Keller Rohrback in Seattle did not respond to requests for comment.
