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Republican Monica De La Cruz Hernandez, failed congressional candidate in Texas’s 15th Congressional District, may not be a “legit challenger” — but that hasn’t stopped her from already drumming up embarrassing press coverage of her flailing second run.
The Associated Press called out De La Cruz Hernandez for “spread[ing] false claims” about a proposed door-to-door campaign that would encourage Americans to get the COVID-19 vaccine and give information about how to protect themselves from this deadly virus. As AP wrote:
“… it wouldn’t be a violation of federal health privacy laws, according to experts. Nevertheless, social media users and political candidates have spread false claims that the campaign infringes on the federal health privacy law known as HIPAA. ‘How about the government stay the heck out of our business!?’ Texas Republican congressional candidate Monica De La Cruz-Hernandez wrote in a Facebook post. ‘What ever happened to PRIVATE health decisions? Seems like giving these door knockers our vaccination status would a HIPPA violation.’”
While De La Cruz Hernandez kicks off her second run for Congress by spreading misinformation and embarrassing falsehoods, House Democrats remain laser-focused on helping the country emerge from this pandemic and getting our economy back on track. Read more below:
Associated Press: NOT REAL NEWS: A look at what didn’t happen this week
July 16, 2021
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“THE FACTS: Biden pitched a door-knocking campaign as a way to get vaccine information and assistance to more people, not probe Americans about whether they have been vaccinated.”
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“But even if officials or volunteers did ask people that question, it wouldn’t be a violation of federal health privacy laws, according to experts. Nevertheless, social media users and political candidates have spread false claims that the campaign infringes on the federal health privacy law known as HIPAA.”
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“‘How about the government stay the heck out of our business!?’ Texas Republican congressional candidate Monica De La Cruz-Hernandez wrote in a Facebook post. ‘What ever happened to PRIVATE health decisions? Seems like giving these door knockers our vaccination status would a HIPPA violation.’”
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“In fact, HIPAA doesn’t block anyone from asking another person about their health status … If someone does come to your door to encourage you to get the COVID-19 vaccine, you have no obligation to tell them whether you have been vaccinated, said Kayte Spector-Bagdady, lawyer and associate director for the Center for Bioethics and Social Science in Medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School.”
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“‘HIPAA does not apply to public health outreach volunteers, and it doesn’t apply to information you offer to tell,’ Spector-Bagdady said in an email to the AP. ‘If you are uncomfortable, just don’t open the door – or do and just get some information without giving any in return!’”
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