Trump Administration Seeks Unprecedented Access to Federal Workers' Medical Records

Key Points

• OPM is requesting monthly identifiable medical data from 65 insurers covering over 8 million federal workers and retirees
• The data includes detailed medical claims, pharmacy claims, and provider information
• Privacy experts warn this constitutes unprecedented federal overreach into personal health information
• The regulation was issued in December 2025 but is now facing legal and public scrutiny

Full Details

The Trump administration's Office of Personnel Management has issued a December notice requiring 65 insurance companies to share sensitive, identifiable medical data monthly for more than 8 million federal workers, retirees, mail carriers, and their families. The regulation demands detailed 'service use and cost data,' including medical claims, pharmacy claims, and provider information, ostensibly to ensure competitive and affordable health plans. Privacy experts and legal advocates have sharply criticized the move, arguing it constitutes an unprecedented federal overreach into personal health information and could violate medical privacy laws. The data collection would cover participants in the Federal Employees Health Benefits and Postal Service Health Benefits programs. Critics warn the vague and broad purposes stated for data collection could lead to misuse of sensitive health information.