Vaccination Queries Aren't a HIPAA Violation
The Claim
Asking someone about their vaccination status is a violation of HIPAA.
Note: Misbar covered this topic back in May, but it recently went viral again.
News posted on
Emerging story
On July 20, 2021, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene was asked if she was vaccinated at a news conference. In response, she said: “Your first question is a violation of my HIPAA rights. You see, with HIPAA rights, we don’t have to reveal our medical records, and that also involves our vaccine records.” Discussion of the claim soon took off on social media.
Misbar’s Analysis
HIPAA, or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, protects people from having their health information shared without proper permission. Medical professionals and insurance companies, or “covered entities,” cannot share your medical history unless you give them explicit permission.
Green’s claim that HIPAA protects her from questions about her vaccination is incorrect. HIPAA does not offer protection against being asked questions about your health; rather, it protects you from having your medical information shared by professionals.
