Health Records Enhancement Act
Summary
The Health Records Enhancement Act aims to allow designated individuals or immediate family members to supplement the health records of deceased veterans within the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs. This supplementation would include observed health conditions and other relevant health information. The bill ensures that existing information in the health records is not modified, only supplemented.
Expected Effects
This act will likely lead to a more complete understanding of the health conditions experienced by deceased veterans. It could improve future healthcare practices and policies within the VA and DoD. The process for designation and the types of information accepted will need to be clearly defined to ensure effective implementation.
Potential Benefits
- Provides a mechanism for families to contribute to the medical history of deceased veterans.
- Could lead to improved understanding of veteran health issues.
- May inform future healthcare policies and practices within the VA and DoD.
- Ensures that existing health record information is not altered.
- Offers a way to honor the experiences and memories of deceased veterans.
Most Benefited Areas:
Potential Disadvantages
- Potential for disputes among family members regarding what information to include.
- Risk of including inaccurate or biased information.
- Administrative burden on the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs to manage the supplementation process.
- Privacy concerns related to the handling of sensitive health information, even after death.
- Lack of clarity on the specific types of 'observed health conditions' that are eligible for supplementation.
Constitutional Alignment
The bill appears to align with the general welfare clause of the Constitution, as it seeks to improve healthcare practices for veterans. Specifically, the Preamble states the goal to "promote the general Welfare". The act does not appear to infringe upon any specific constitutional rights or limitations. The legislative power to enact such a bill is vested in Congress under Article I, Section 8, which grants Congress the power to provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).