Ohio: Hospital refuses to release medical records of deceased to widow

An Ohio hospital is refusing the request of a lesbian widow who has asked for her deceased spouse's medical records:

Officials at Bethesda North Hospital, located in Blue Ash, a Cincinnati suburb, told local TV station WCPO that federal and state privacy laws prohibit them from releasing the records of Barbara Graham to her surviving partner, Marcia Gallas.

Graham died of cancer on Easter.

The women were married in Canada in 2003.

There are no federal laws that prohibit the hospital from releasing the records. What the hospital officials probably are referring to is that since Ohio state does not recognize same-sex marriage (yet), they will not either.

Another hospital where the couple received care - Cincinnati-based Jewish Hospital - had no problem releasing Graham's records to Gallas.

(via Advocate.com)