Release of health insurance records blasted: Lawmaker says disclosing information is a violation of the law

May 8, 2015 at 1:00 a.m. | Updated May 8, 2015 at 12:31 p.m.

by The Tennessean

Republican Gov. Bill Haslam is greeted by lawmakers as he enters the House chamber in Nashville, Tenn., on Monday, Feb. 2, 2015. Haslam spoke to a joint assembly of the General Assembly to promote his Insure Tennessee proposal to extend health coverage to 280,000 low-income residents.
Republican Gov. Bill Haslam is greeted by lawmakers as he enters the House chamber in Nashville, Tenn., on Monday, Feb. 2, 2015. Haslam spoke to a joint assembly of the General Assembly to promote his Insure Tennessee proposal to extend health coverage to 280,000 low-income residents.

NASHVILLE -- Lawmakers and state administrators blasted the decision by the state Benefits Administration to release information about the nearly $6 million Tennessee pays for health insurance premiums provided to members of the General Assembly.

But in a letter released Thursday afternoon, Commissioner Larry Martin of the Department of Finance and Administration told lawmakers the information requested by The Tennessean isn't subject to federal health privacy rules.

"Therefore, because the information requested is not protected under the state open records law, we were required to release the information," Martin said in the letter, obtained by The Tennessean.

Read more at The Tennessean.

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