security and jobs in india

I have been cussing about this ever since our first jobs went over there. Good jobs, the kind that pay a living wage (as opposed to fast food), are the kind we outsource to India, because it's cheaper. I get angry EVERY TIME I call an 800 number and reach an Indian operator.

I work in Medical Transcription, and have since I was 21 (that's 15 years now! eek!). Some years ago, companies began using Indian help. They excuse this saying that they can't find trained, competent employees in America. Well, they sure can't for what they can pay Indian employees!

I've been uncomfortable with this for a long time, in varying degrees from mad to irate, whenever it crosses my mind. But it was drawn to my attention yesterday the serious implications of using Indian call centers, and transcriptionists, and general work, for American jobs.

Several years ago, a law called HIPAA was passed. This was supposed to ensure that our medical records were safe and confidential. Remember all the doctors' offices handing out the papers to sign that you were aware of this?

If your medical records are going to India, the HIPAA laws cannot be enforced there. Your records and personal information are available to people who cannot be prosecuted for anything they choose to do with them. Medical records include SSN, DOB, mother's maiden name; everything an enterprising criminal (of any nationality) needs to steal your identity.

If you call a call center in India and give somebody your credit card information, there is no reason to expect that information is confidential, either. AMERICAN LAWS CANNOT BE ENFORCED IN INDIA.

Are you outraged? This is beyond neglect; it makes our laws a joke. I consider myself an educated person, and I have been aware of the facts for years; I never realized the implications of those facts. The average man on the street doesn't know the facts, but should!

We are commencing a grass-roots campaign to get our legislators aware of the problems with the HIPAA laws; if they passed these laws for anything more than a joke, action needs to be taken NOW. Identity theft is a problem that grows every day; if it hasn't happened to you or someone close to you, just wait! I felt secure, and I was being careful, but my debit card was "virtually" stolen in October.

Please reply with your email address if this concerns you; when we have a letter campaign started, we'll send it to you.