Monday, July 27, 1998 - The Michigan Daily - 7 Legislation would change IDs y Gerard Cohtn-Vignaud aily News Editor Legislation making its way through ongress could dramatically alter the ay people are identified, how personal nformation is stored and who would ave access to individual files. It also eans the University would have to up its own efforts to meet the equirements of the bill. The Privacy Protection Act, intro- uced by Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) ould forbid all organizations except he Social Security Administration rom using the social security number s a form of personal identification. When the Social Security dministration was originally aunched, account numbers were issued all Americans, but the intent of the gram was not to create a form of national identification. "The government has let the social security number become an identifying number," said Michael Sullivan, press secretary for Paul. "You have all this information tied together with no con- trols. The bill very simply restores the integrity of the social security number." The number, easily obtainable because of its universal application, combined with another piece of person- al information, such as a birth date, can be used to obtain credit cards, bank accounts and birth certificates. The dangers have not escaped the attention of University administrators. "Well, I think there is a perception and reality that people can use the social secu- rity number for other purposes such as fraud,' said John Gohsman, director of information networking service for the Registrar. "The more private we can keep social security numbers, the better." Until very recently, University IDs dis- played the social security number on the back. But the University, in accordance with a policy it instituted back in 1996, has begun to move away from using social security numbers andhas ceased to display the number on M-Cards. "The main intent is to get away from the active and obvious use of social security numbers," said Laurie Burns, director of customer relations and sup- port for the Information Technology Division. "Because social security numbers are linked to so much person- al information, it's a privacy issue." Once the five-year plan is completed, University officials hope the social secu- rity number will only be one piece of data in someone's personal file, rather than the key to unlock individual information. "The continue use of social security numbers has created vulnerabilities for University community members," Burns said. "With the plan, the number becomes just another piece of information." The PPA would also prohibit federal agencies from using the same identifi- cation numbers for U.S. residents, hence eliminating the widespread use of social security numbers. While remembering all those numbers may be difficult, Sullivan said it is ludi- crous for the government to aid thieves by making social security numbers integral to all personal information, adding that the logistical problems facing universities changing their systems are insignificant. "Why should the government give the tools with which people can steal?" Sullivan asked. "Something tells me that with all the PhDs walking around on campus, someone can come with an 11-digit number." Theodore Standiford, a pulmonologist at the University Medical Center, checks a patient's lung with a stethoscope. 'U' study suggests HMOs not all bad [ALL SUBSTITUTES NEEDED. NAEYC coredited Early Childhood Center is in need f substitutes for Fall semester. 668-0887. FILM STUDENT WANTED to help with stablished poster business. Flexible hours, llent pay. Up to full-time. Local referen- required. See web display http:// www.musicman.cnmp/posters.html. Stars s-week of August. 3-303. 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Despite negative press on Health Maintenance Organizations, a University study suggests HMOs may be doing a better job choosing hospitals for their patients than other health plans. In the study, Health Management Prof. Michael Chemew and Penn State Prof. Dennis Scanlon focused on a sample of 5,854 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery in 1991. The patients were all in California. "We had data on hospital quality based on estimates on the number of people that died receiving daring open heart surgery" Chemew said. "Based on that data we knew what hospitals were better to choose." Chemew said the media has given HMOs a bad reputation concerning choosing hospitals for patients. But he added literature on the system is more fair. "You listen to the press, which suggests that HMOs are worse," Chernew said. Cherew said many patients do not know much about the quality of hospitals. The results showed that HMO enrollees were about 20 per- cent more likely to receive care from a hospital considered above average than from hospitals of average qual- ity. The researchers also found that HMO patients travel farther for care. "If you are not in a HMO, you are more likely to go to a hospital you want, one closer to you," Chernew said. "The hospital you choose may not be the best." Around 46 to 53 percent of the HMO patients were less likely to receive care at a hospital 15 miles from their house than a hospital within five miles of their home. Non-HMO patients were 60 to 64 percent less likely to travel 15 miles if a hospital was five miles away. HMOs are "more likely to send people further," Chernew said. Chernew said the hospitals the organizations picked tended to be better than what the patient would choose. But he added that HM~s' choices may not be the best either. Chernew said he was not sur- prised by the results from his research. "HMOs do a better job of avoid- ing the worst hospitals," Chernew said. The researchers did caution that HMOs vary and differ from each other in services and care. Chernew added that research is being done to help people choose the best health plans. Ann Arbor resident Sara Javidi said she does not belong to an HMO. "I guess HMOs are the wave of the future," Javidi said. "I still think patients can choose the best hospital for themselves."