The Fine Print   

Now that AJR has had a chance to deposit what I presume was a hefty check from the American Hospital Association for its pullout in the April/May issue, it would be nice to see a story about how the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act has emasculated local news coverage and provoked paranoia and secrecy among entities not even covered by the law. The "new framework for sharing information" for which the AHA makes excuses in its pullout has been just the excuse many agencies have been looking for to hide information that should be open to the public.

Greg Bilbrey
Managing editor
Daily News
Robinson, Illinois

Editor's Note: See Free Press, May 2003.