Democrats Urge Halt to Trump Admin’s Plan to Collect Federal Workers’ Medical Data

Democratic lawmakers are demanding that the Trump administration immediately halt plans to collect sensitive medical records for millions of federal workers and retirees, as well as their family members.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has asked 65 insurance companies to provide monthly reports containing detailed medical and pharmaceutical claims data for more than 8 million people enrolled in federal health plans, according to a report by KFF Health News earlier this month.

The request, which could significantly expand the personally identifiable medical information OPM can access, has alarmed health ethicists, insurance executives, and privacy advocates.

Now, OPM Director Scott Kupor has received two letters from congressional Democrats urging him to abandon the proposal:

• A letter signed by 16 U.S. senators, led by Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA).
• A separate letter led by Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA), the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee.

The House Democrats’ letter, dated April 17 and citing KFF Health News, states:

“The collection of broad, personally identifiable data regarding medical care and treatment raises concerns that OPM could target certain federal employees seeking vital health care services that the Administration disagrees with on political grounds.”

However, the letters from congressional Democrats alone are unlikely to reverse OPM’s plans. Republicans, who control Congress, have not yet weighed in on the proposal. OPM did not respond to a request for comment regarding the letters.

The agency, which claims it will use the data for oversight and to manage federal health plans, has not publicly addressed written concerns about its proposal.

The notice, posted and sent to insurers in December, states that insurers are legally permitted to disclose “protected health information” to OPM and does not require the removal of identifying details such as names or diagnoses from the claims. Experts told KFF Health News that while the data could be used to implement cost-saving measures, it would also grant the Trump administration access to a vast trove of personal information.

In their letters, Democratic lawmakers highlight several concerns about the potential consequences of OPM obtaining detailed medical claims for millions of federal workers:

• The Senate Democrats’ letter, led by Schiff and Warner, argues that OPM is not equipped to safeguard such sensitive data and warns that the administration could share the records across government agencies—similar to its handling of personal information on millions of Medicaid enrollees.
• The senators assert that the agency lacks a legal right to the data and that insurers sharing the information with OPM would “violate the core principles of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).”
• HIPAA requires certain organizations, such as hospitals and insurers, to protect identifiable health information from disclosure without patient consent.
• The proposal, they warn, threatens patients’ relationships with clinicians, particularly regarding “sensitive disclosures regarding mental health, chronic illness, or other deeply personal matters.”