In response to the theft of data from the VA system, legislators have introduced several new bills that would impose penalties designed to discourage identity theft. Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI) introduced legislation last week that would make improperly "viewing, using, downloading or removing" personal data, including health data, from a federal database a crime. Last week, Rep. Tom Lantos (D-CA), introduced a bill that requires federal officials to notify victims of any "unauthorized procurement of electronic data."
- see this article from iHealthbeat