Kentucky House Approves Bill That Would Require State To Identify HIV Patients by Name
The Kentucky House on Tuesday approved 95-0 a bill (HB 82) that would require doctors to report HIV patients by name to state health officials, the Associated Press reports (Schreiner, Associated Press, 1/21). The state previously reported HIV-positive individuals using special codes, but the CDC prefers to track HIV-positive people by name. Currently, 38 states track HIV-positive patients by name, which helps them in obtaining federal AIDS funding. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Tom Burch (D), would require the state's database to identify HIV patients by name, but reports to the CDC would continue to include code numbers (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 1/20). The bill next moves to the state Senate for consideration, the Associated Press reports (Associated Press, 1/21).
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