Health Policy End Run?

The Senate Armed Services Committee wants to make it easier to transfer medical information from the Defense Department to the Veterans Affairs Department without the need for prior authorization from a service member.

The committee said in its version of the fiscal 2011 Defense authorization bill that it plans to accomplish this by aligning Defense regulations with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act to permit the interdepartmental release of such information without going through a lot of hoops to get the OK from everyone who leaves the service.

I can (sort of) understand the need for the change to ensure a continuum of care. But how hard would it be to have someone check a box when being discharged authorizing that release?

My health care information belongs to me - and only I should have the right to authorize its release.