A Franklin County lawmaker is calling on the federal government to allow more information about coronavirus patients to be released to the public.

Sen. Douglas Mastriano, R-Greene Township, is proposing a measure to request that Congress temporarily suspend the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which is commonly known as HIPAA, according to a news release.

The concurrent resolution would suspend the 1996 law, allowing for the full disclosure of details that are currently considered private. Adopted by both houses of the legislature, a concurrent resolution does not require the governor's signature and is not legally binding.

In response to a follow-up question, Mastriano said he is requesting the suspension of a "small part of HIPAA, as it specifically relates to a person testing positive." He said it is a "precision-guided request that does not violate personal health information other than specifically making public who tested positive for COVID19."

Currently, the Pennsylvania Department of Health lists the county of residence of each person who tests positive for COVID-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus. Information about where these individuals work or have traveled is not released to the general public.

HIPAA protects a person's name, along with 17 other identifiers.

Mastriano said HIPAA preventing the public release of the names of people who have tested positive endangers the lives of people who have been in close contact with them. He shared an example of a Capitol staffer in Harrisburg who was recently tested; because the person's name cannot be released due to HIPAA, "dozens of exposed personnel do not know that they may have been contaminated and are unwittingly spreading the virus."

“I am concerned that existing HIPAA regulations are threatening the lives of our citizens and depriving Pennsylvania residents of knowing if – and when – they were exposed to a contagious person,” Mastriano said in the news release. “This emergency measure is necessary to share vital and life-saving medical information with those who may have been subjected to this dangerous virus. The new information that would become available would help us combat the spread of the Coronavirus.”

Of the 185 positive cases in Pennsylvania as of noon Thursday, 17 are in Central Pennsylvania - including 11 in Cumberland County and one in Adams County. The region is connected by several major highways, and many people travel to nearby counties for work and for other reasons.

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Mastriano has proposed that the suspension of HIPAA remain in effect until the COVID-19 crisis passes.

In addition to asking the federal government to take "swift and immediate action" to suspend HIPAA, Mastriano's measure asks Congress to enact legislation to also suspend the law in the case of future health pandemics.

“It is deeply concerning that the federal government did not proactively roll-back this dangerous policy, which endangers our people,” said Mastriano. “This situation changes daily – it remains my top priority to do what is in the best interest of protecting public health, and this measure will increase transparency in an effort to quell the spread of this virus.”

Mastriano said he has contacted President Trump about the issue and shared "how lifting certain provisions could augment public safety."

To stem the COVID-19 outbreak, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf ordered the closure of public schools and recommended the closure of non-essential businesses. Restaurants and bars, which operate under state licensing, have been required to shut down dine-in services. State liquor stores have been required to close, too. Government agencies have also been affected by shutdowns.

Amber South can be reached at asouth@publicopinionnews.com.