Let's see...if I feel threatened...I know...

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certain posts some months ago essentially about the same subject content as now.  If Jay truly owes previous employees and current employees clearly it would behoove him to do so as it certainly doesn't look very good when his indiscretions are plastered all over MT sites.

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REMEMBER WHEN THIS STORY BROKE? Finally, somebody is dealing with the issue. Check this out!

http://www.gcn.com/online/vol1_no1/41035-1.html

VA IT security gaps extend to contractors
06/14/06 -- 04:15 PM
By Mary Mosquera,

Rep. Buyer: Department CIO needs IT security enforcement authority
 
[b]The Veterans Affairs Department said today that it has been investigating allegations that an offshore medical transcription subcontractor last year threatened to expose 30,000 veterans’ electronic health records on the Internet in a payment dispute with a VA contractor. [/b]
The VA assistant inspector general referred to the investigation during questioning in a congressional hearing on VA’s data security environment in the wake of the theft of sensitive data of 26.5 million veterans, active duty military and reserves officers.

The medical transcription incident highlights how gaps in information security also extend to contractors, said Michael Staley, VA’s assistant inspector general for auditing. Some VA medical transcription contractors have used offshore subcontractors in India and Pakistan without VA’s approval and without adequate controls to ensure veterans’ health information was secure under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, according to an audit released today.

“Contracts do not specify criteria for how to protect information,” Staley told the House Veterans Affairs Committee.

Staley enumerated audits of information management security under the Federal Information Security Management Act, the Consolidated Financial Statement and Combined Assessment Program that revealed significant vulnerabilities. These include VA not controlling and monitoring employee access, not restricting users to only the data they need and not terminating accounts of departing employees in a timely manner.

In last year’s FISMA review, the IG provided 16 recommendations, including addressing security vulnerabilities of unauthorized access and misuse of sensitive information and data throughout VA demonstrated during its field testing. All 16 recommendations remain open, he said.

Audits also found instances where out-based employees send veterans’ medical information to the VA regional office through unencrypted e-mail; monitoring remote network access and usage does not routinely occur; and off-duty users’ access to VA computer systems and sensitive information is not restricted.

“VA has implemented some recommendations for specific locations identified but has not made corrections VA-wide,” he said.

From fiscal years 2000 to 2005, the IG identified IT and security deficiencies in 141, or 78 percent, of 181 Veterans Health Administration facilities reviewed, and 37, or 67 percent, of the 55 Veterans Benefits Administration facilities reviewed.

“We recommended that VA pursue a more centralized approach, apply appropriate resources and establish a clear chain of command and accountability structure to implement and enforce IT internal controls,” Staley said.

The underlying situation is the VA’s department CIO does not have authority to enforce compliance with data security and information management and recommendations from GAO, said Veterans Affairs Committee chairman Steve Buyer (R-Ind.).

Buyer traced problems in security enforcement to a memo dated April 2004 from the general counsel that said the department CIO did not have enforcement authority.

The CIO, undersecretaries who lead VA’s benefits, health and burial administrations, and the VA secretary share responsibility for enforcement, said Gregory Wilshusen, director of information security issues for the Government Accountability Office.

“Information security is a governmentwide problem, and we have talked with OMB about that,” said Linda Koontz, director of GAO’s information management issues.

Buyer expressed frustration that there are no consequences for “recalcitrant” agencies that do not correct problems that GAO has repeatedly highlighted. He cited the Privacy Act, which has been strengthened with consequences.

“If you have a bureaucracy so strong in the department that the secretary or political bodies are unable to act, don’t you think the president or vice president or OMB needs to know that because there are monetary consequences behind that inaction? I’m bothered that GAO doesn’t have the higher authority to which they can turn,” Buyer said after the hearing.

After several more hearings this month, Buyer and his committee will make recommendations or craft legislation. He suggested that Congress consider looking at strengthening FISMA.

“We can even come up with that in our language, but we’re not going to have jurisdiction over that. We’ll have to work with Mr. Davis [House Government Reform Committee chairman Tom Davis (R-Va.)] and his committee. I’d be more than happy to do that,” he said.

© 1996-2006 Post-Newsweek Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

I just take a break every 2-3 hours and take the dog for a walk or exercise or something.  Sometimes, I run up and down the stairs or just go and sit out on my deck for a few minutes to get some fresh air.

Not sure it is menopausal symptoms as I am younger than the age.  For me, it is my personality trait.  I am a type A personality.

I am just having the very life sucked out of me!

like a hooker on the street paying our "pimp"!  All the MTSOs need to review their overhead and cut out unnecessary expenses and overpaying their CEOs.  It is like the government spending $6,000.00 for a toilet.  Look at the UN who is wanting to borrow the money from the U.S. to refurbish the UN building.  Donald Trump has been in meetings with Congress and it is a very, very interesting thing to watch.  The UN wants to set aside $431 million dollars just in contingencies; Trump said that the contingencies should be no more than $1 million to $2 million at most. 

Basically, if the MTSOs had to live like many of us live, I'm sure they would be able to cut their waste and extravagance, don't you think?

Listen to you gut instinct.  Your experience and know how will be appreciated when you find the right company.

As far as the other QA person not being very nice....it is a fact that women can be very difficult to work with.  Statistics have proven that women have a need to feel equal and when threatened they tend to fall into behaviors such as those you described.

It happens on this board quite often.  The nicest women in person can be very mean spirited when not face to face.  Try not to take it personally and just keep doing the best job you can. 

Unless you are getting paid very well for working that many hours, decide if it is really work sacrificing your life.  Good luck...you are not alone.

I've been with MQ for about eight years but have decided to leave.  And it did not help that today was notified that I failed the test for a company I was really hoping to go with.  (Needed 85 but only got 80 on the test although I found some of the test doubtful.  They marked off for dictation that I did verbatim and they expected me to change it:  for ex., Doctor says 1/2 cc and I am supposed to transcribe 0.5 mL.  Do not agree with that at all but then I am not grading the test.)  So my ego took a beating and now have been wondering if my career is at a crossroads.  I worked so hard to learn this profession, investing money and hours of study, and have worked my posterior off over the years.  For what?  Not much at all.  Basically I made a great big mistake on a choice of career.  The only future it seems in MT now is in India.  Even if you pass a test that takes about four hours, they still only want to pay 6-7 cents.

Okay, you can tell I am very depressed.  Well, good luck to you and wish you and me all the best.   

I have just spent the last 6 months decluttering my house. I am only 27 and have only been married 5 years, but I had so much stuff. We couldn't even park in the garage. It felt so good to get rid of it. My policy was anything that we hadn't used in a year was gone. I donated a lot to charity and it just felt right. why should i have it sitting in my garage when someone can really use it.

Now....finances are a big problem with me. I never learned a thing about finances growing up. I never had a credit card until I got married. I admit that I have no clue about budgeting, retirement, anything. Sometimes I get scared and almost panicky about it. I know I need help to destress this area of my life.

My teenager had an emotional melt down over her car, my 2 girls 10 and 11 have been fighting over who got kissed goodnight first (wanting to be last), the dishes are piled up from dinner in the sink, the dog keeps chasing the cats and barking.... I could go on for 3 paragraphs.

Hang in there.  I guess someday they'll all be gone and they SAY we'll be sitting around sad that our house is in quiet order.  I'm not convinced tonight.!!!

My scheduled days off are Thursday and Friday.  This week I worked Thursday and Friday so I could cover the holiday for all of the MTs who decided to enjoy it with their family.  What happens first thing Saturday?  Everyone and their cousin is on during my shift grabbing all of my work to make up for the days they took off.  Of course, all of these jobs they are typing will end up on their before Christmas paycheck and not mine.

My oldest sister cannot stand for anyone to not be friends with everyone.  On the first Christmas after her divorce, her entire former family-in-law - including the now ex-husband (father of her kids) - plus my entire extended family were all together,  plus a number of close friends (including the ex-husband's girlfrind that he left my sister for and her now ex-husband, my doctor, and my soon-to-be ex-husband), probably 50 people.  The next week, her ex-husband decided he would set her up with a friend of his and that guy started dating my sister.  It helped to take her interest off of trying to hold onto things that needed to be let go of.

Next Christmas, the ex-family and friends got together on Christmas Eve and my family enjoyed Christmas at my sister's house Christmas day without the extra company.  There were people invited that we all knew as drop-by guests who came, stayed for a very short visit and left.  We all enjoyed the holiday much better and with greater ease.

I feel your pain.  Maybe you could start your own tradition?

d~

I went for an eye exam for the first time in 4 years because I now have medical and eye care insurance for the first time in 13 years.  Thinking my insurance would cover the frames, lenses, etc. like it states, I felt this was a good deal. They were to pay 80% of my total cost. I need special lenses, so my total bill through the doc was almost $400. I sent the final bill to the insurance company because I figured to get around $300 in return and whoopee!!!!!! My check came through, all right....for $30!!!!!  Turns out, I can only go to Sears and/or another "outlet"  for my glasses and exam!  Sears is 30 miles away, the other one is just as far if not further away.

I have canceled the eye care part of my insurance and am ready to cancel my health policy too, as I have almost $3,000 in bills staring me in the face that they won't pay. I have been paying $600 a month x 2 years for health/eye exam insurance bill and this is the kind of coverage I get.

DH says the insurance racket is just that. A high cost racket. Worse than the mobs of yesteryear, but with the goverment's approval. And it sucks.

and I must be a little older than you and close to retirement.  I am still studying though and if the work is gone tomorrow, I'll be ready to move on.  I'd like to sit in my little hole also, but also know the work could just disappear tomorrow.  Since there are no jobs in house around here anymore and I am not moving, I have no choice but to move on.  The competition around here is ridiculous because there are no in house jobs.  If you are not offering to work for way below what you are worth, someone else will get the account.  The biggest difference about making a change will be working with the public again!  It is nice to sit here and not have to deal with the public.

Change might be good also.  I am getting so burned out thinking this job has no future, I don't burn up the keyboard like I used to.