ALBANY – New York’s Governor signed legislation Monday prohibiting ambulance and first response service providers from disclosing or selling private patient information to third parties for marketing purposes.
Governor Andrew Cuomo says under prior law, emergency response providers could sell information that identifies an individual patient such as addresses and phone numbers, prescriptions and medical history.
The new law prohibits the disclosure of such information to third parties, except to healthcare providers, the patient’s insurer and parties acting under appropriate legal authority.
“Nothing is more personal than your health records, and New Yorkers have a right to privacy when it comes to this incredibly sensitive information,” said Cuomo. “This law sets clear guidelines so patient information isn’t sold or used for marketing purposes and most importantly doesn’t end up in the wrong hands.”
The legislation was first induced in 2014 after reports surfaced that some emergency service providers in the state may have been selling patient protected health information for fundraising and marketing purposes.
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