Florida urges the prescription of citizens Sparks sparks for privacy concerns

The insurance regulation in Florida looks concerns about the patient's privacy and the government's presentation after requesting personal and prescription information from potential millions of people.

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) called for the data from Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMS), which act as mediators of third parties between pharmacies, insurance companies or employers and drug manufacturers. PBMS also determine which medication is covered by health insurance plans and the costs for recipes.

Why is it important

The data request is part of the plans for the examination of PBMS, which have long been confronted with the testing of the allegations that they increase the costs for patients and employers, while they act as a intermediary for pharmaceutical manufacturers and pharmacies.

What to know?

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation has sent letters to PBMS in which data such as human names, dates of birth and prescription details were searched for for the first time on February 28.

Shiloh Elliott, a spokesman for Floridas OirPresent told Newsweek that the data request was part of the “normal business course in the examination process” by PBMS.

The regulatory authority is looking for the information to ensure that the PBMs correspond to a law signed by the governor of Florida, Ron Desantis in May 2023. The New York Times reported. The Law on Prescription Medicines aimed to account for “pharmaceutical intermediaries” and to ensure transparency when increasing the prescription drug.

Newsweek has contacted Governor Ron Desantis's office for a comment by e -mail.

The request for data has triggered concerns about the privacy of patients and what the regulatory authority has to do with the information.

Michael Jackson, a retired pharmacist and former CEO of the Florida Pharmacy Association, told the the the the the Miami Herald that consumers “do not want the government to have access to their private details.

Rosa Novo, director of public schools in Miami-Dade County, told The New York Times While you support efforts to reduce prescription prices, your doctor is “the only one who knows your personal details and medication history”.

The American Benefits Council, a association of financial institutions and large companies based in Washington, DC, also wrote to the Office of Insurance Regulation and asked him to withdraw his request for data from people. In the letter, the regulatory authority's application “inadmissibly violates the privacy and security of millions of Floridians” without giving reasons for such an action.

Elliott previously said Bloomberg and The New York Times These objections to the data request come from those who “are not regulated or have surveillance in their industry”.

In 2023, almost 80 percent of all prescription claims in the USA were processed by PBMS that belonged to three companies: CVS Health, Cigna and Unitedhealth Group.

Sharona Hoffman, an expert in health law and data protection at Case Western Reserve University, speculated that Florida could use the data to address doctors who offer illegal abortion services or transgender treatment. There is no evidence for this claim.

During Desantis's term of office, Florida passed laws to restrict access to abortions and transgender care.

What people say

Shiloh Elliott, spokesman for Floridas Oir, told Newsweek on Tuesday: “The data is requested as part of the normal business course in the examination process; exams carried out by the internal exam employees of OIR. This is the first time that the OIR tests for PBMS can carry out. Regardless of the fact that the supervisory authorities visit the patient's claim information, and the OIR has already accessed detailed information for patients/doctor for medical recipients and employees to state health plans.

Michael Jackson, a retired pharmacist and former CEO of the Florida Pharmacy Association, told the the the the the Miami Herald: “Every consumer does not want the government to have access to their confidential information. [However,] What does the PBM industry not want you to know? Why do you hide behind the patient's confidentiality? “

Joe Shields, Managing Director of Transparency-RX, a group of company performance management companies that work for fair drug prices, told Bloomberg: “The idea that the great government will be in any way in some medical list is nothing that in my opinion most Americans reflect.”

Sharona Hoffman, expert in health law and data protection at Case Western Reserve University, told The New York Times: “You do not need such detailed patient information for monitoring.

The governor of Florida, Ron Desantis, said in a statement from May 2023: “PBMS and Big Pharma managed to escape the public eye and work in the shade for far too long. I am proud to sign a legislative template that will withdraw this monopoly for health care and at the same time enable consumers.”

What happens next

The Office of Insurance Regulation said in an earlier explanation that it will continue to request data “in the best interest” of consumers.