Sorry for back-to-back posts about open records issues from the region, but a co-worker here at the YDR alerted me to this after reading my previous entry.
In Luzerne County are under investigation for judges who sent kids to jail for kickbacks, a prison warden who spend big bucks at a strip club while at a conference, no-bid contracts, school boards selling jobs and ... oh goodness, at this point it might just be easier to say what the feds AREN'T investigating.
So anyway, on to the open records issue. The county government was, apparently, paying health care benefits for people who were not eligible for them. So, my former co-worker and desk mate, county reporter Michael P. Buffer (yes, the son the legend) submitted a Right-to-Know request to see who all is getting these benefits.
Well, the county turned him down, citing HIPPA (the Health Information Privacy Act). As any reporter will tell you, this is the standby for agencies who don't want to release records. They use it for an excuse for everything. I've had schools tell me they can't release student information because of HIPPA. And the law only applies to health care providers!
The newspaper is going to appeal. This will be an interesting case study. It really seems this should be a matter of public record -- how else can the public audit who is getting paid what?
In Luzerne County are under investigation for judges who sent kids to jail for kickbacks, a prison warden who spend big bucks at a strip club while at a conference, no-bid contracts, school boards selling jobs and ... oh goodness, at this point it might just be easier to say what the feds AREN'T investigating.
So anyway, on to the open records issue. The county government was, apparently, paying health care benefits for people who were not eligible for them. So, my former co-worker and desk mate, county reporter Michael P. Buffer (yes, the son the legend) submitted a Right-to-Know request to see who all is getting these benefits.
Well, the county turned him down, citing HIPPA (the Health Information Privacy Act). As any reporter will tell you, this is the standby for agencies who don't want to release records. They use it for an excuse for everything. I've had schools tell me they can't release student information because of HIPPA. And the law only applies to health care providers!
The newspaper is going to appeal. This will be an interesting case study. It really seems this should be a matter of public record -- how else can the public audit who is getting paid what?
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