Indiana AG Files Lawsuit Against Hospital System Over Privacy and Abortion of Ohio Girl

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita has filed a lawsuit against IU Health and IU Healthcare Associates, the state's largest hospital system, alleging that they violated patient privacy laws by publicly sharing the story of a 10-year-old rape victim from Ohio who traveled to Indiana for an abortion. The lawsuit claims that the health care organization violated HIPAA and state law, and criticizes IU Health for creating an environment that threatens the privacy of its Indiana patients. Earlier this year, Rokita's office saw a legal victory when a medical licensing board found a doctor involved in the case to have violated privacy laws, but representatives of the medical community disagree with the decision and believe it will have a chilling effect on patient care. IU Health plans to respond directly to Rokita's office on the filing.