How come no one even bothered to remove his full address and ssn from the records?.. On the other hand, even the very names of people who approved and drafted the documents are removed.
That's the default setting unless you modify it.
> you should not take this as legal advice.
So is it true or not?
It's not advice of any form, it's either a fact or it is not.
FOIA: https://secure.ssa.gov/apps9/eFOIA-FEWeb/internet/main.jsp
HIPAA: http://www.cga.ct.gov/2013/rpt/2013-R-0124.htm
It seems HIPAA enacts a 50-year period of silence.
At least for health records, you do have privacy after you die, apparently for 50 years: http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/covereden...