The American Medical Association and three other health
professional associations this week asked the Federal Trade
Commission to reverse itself, and exempt health professionals from
burdensome "red flag rules" designed to prevent identity theft.
The AMA and others have called the rule an unjustified, unfunded
mandate on physician practices, but the FTC has repeatedly refused
over the past year to make such an exemption. The effective date
has been delayed several times, and is now scheduled to take effect
June 1, 2010.
In its letter this week, the organizations said that the FTC
should reconsider its position, because a US District Court ruling
in November said lawyers should be exempted from the rule. "We see
no basis for concluding that Congress intended the rule to apply to
[licensed health care professionals] but not to lawyers," the
letter said.
The letter was signed by the chief executives of the AMA, the
American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Osteopathic
Assoxciation, and the American Dental Association.
A copy of the letter is available for review on the AMA
website.
