## Democrats Demand Trump Administration Halt Plan to Collect Federal Workers' Health Data
Democratic lawmakers are demanding that the Trump administration halt plans to collect sensitive medical records for millions of federal workers and retirees, as well as their family members. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has asked 65 insurance companies to provide monthly reports with detailed medical and pharmaceutical claims data of more than 8 million people enrolled in federal health plans, KFF Health News reported earlier this month. The request, which could dramatically expand the personally identifiable medical information OPM can access, alarmed health ethicists, insurance company executives, and privacy advocates.

Now, OPM Director Scott Kupor has two letters on his desk — one from 16 U.S. senators and another led by Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee — asking him to drop the agency’s proposal. The letters argue that the collection of broad, personally identifiable data regarding medical care and treatment raises concerns that OPM could target certain federal workers based on their health conditions, such as those seeking reproductive care or gender-affirming treatment. Lawmakers warn this could lead to discrimination or breaches of privacy, especially given the administration's previous actions on healthcare access.

The demand escalates a growing clash over federal employee privacy rights and the scope of executive power. The data request, if implemented, would give OPM unprecedented access to claims data including diagnoses, prescriptions, and procedures. Privacy advocates say this could chill healthcare-seeking behavior among federal workers and their families. The letters signal that Democrats are prepared to use oversight tools to block the plan, raising the risk of a protracted political and legal battle over medical data collection in the federal workforce.
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- **Source**: KFF Health News
- **Sector**: The Network
- **Tags**: OPM, federal workers, health data, privacy, Democrats
- **Credibility**: unverified
- **Published**: 2026-04-22 09:22:38
- **ID**: 75801
- **URL**: https://whisperx.ai/en/intel/75801