Feds want ‘Social and Behavioral’ Data in Health Records

[dorminWS]

Our fathers' generation would have loaded their guns and marched on Washington over this; probably shooting first and asking questions later. It is unbelievable! I guess this means that before you send your kiddies to kindergarten you need to teach them to say, "Daddy says that's none of your damned business". I can see it now - - people like us on the "detain and re-educate" list because we own a firearm AND eat Twinkies.

http://freebeacon.com/government-seekin ... h-records/

[WRW]

Medical imaging in Fredericksburg has gone to an electronic sign in that will not allow the form to be completed without answering yes or no to smoking. The dr. that refers the procedure should have that information and there should be no need to know on the part of Medical Imaging, but the procedure is withheld until the form is completed.

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[Reverenddel]

What we need besides a credit union that requires being a member ofthe NRA/VCDL/GOA/Etc?

A list of "Gun friendly" DOCTORS/NP's/RN's

[dorminWS]

Medical imaging in Fredericksburg has gone to an electronic sign in that will not allow the form to be completed without answering yes or no to smoking. The dr. that refers the procedure should have that information and there should be no need to know on the part of Medical Imaging, but the procedure is withheld until the form is completed.

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>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Guess that would leave you deciding what to tell them the truth about and what to lie about. (perhaps tell the truth about smoking but say you don't own a gun because it's none of their damned business whether you do or not) But that that raises in my mind is, that if you know your statements are going into the federal Obamacare databank and you lie about something that requires a yes or no answer to access unrelated care, will they attempt to sanction you for having falsified federal records? Wouldn't surprise me in the least.

[Swampman]

Screw them! I'm with Rev, lets get a list of "friendly" docs.

[dorminWS]

You need to read that stuff again, boys. THEY AIN'T GONNA PAY THE DOCS THAT ARE FRIENDLY TO US. Even a man's friends have to eat.

[Kreutz]

First I've heard of the link to public health entities, but a social/behavioral history (smoking, alcohol, marital status, rec. drug use) is standard in any record.

I would suspect the various departments will use this data for more studies+grants, for instance if above average tobacco use is exhibited in San Francisco, a $3,000,000 study on GLBT smoking attitudes will be commissioned.

[MarcSpaz]

Maybe I am missing something... does anyone know how the federal government having instant online access to any of this information improves the quality of healthcare in America?

I know the Obama Administration is trying to convert healthcare into a centrist state provided service... but we are still capitalist engaging in private business, are we not? The government is using medicare and medicaid money to force doctors into this? Isn't that criminal extortion and racketeering? How about this... your private business no longer accepts medicare and medicaid. Now they have no power. The only reason why these crappy federal programs exist is because the people let it.

[dorminWS]

The official justification is to make access to patient information "seamless" to streamline patient care and avoid mistakes due to gaps in information. But I don't believe that crap, either. There probably are few if any hospitals in the nation that could refuse to accept Medicare/Medicaid patients and stay in business. In rural, relatively poor areas like the part of Southwest VA I live in, I doubt there are any hospitals or doctors that could afford to turn their backs on Medicare. Of course, I've always maintained it would probably be cheaper and more effective if the government just bought all those people a Blue Cross plan and stayed out of fixing the prices of medical care.

My concern is that they will ask for information with no real connection with delivering health care to you; like whether you own a gun. Also, there is a patient-doctor privilege between you and your doctor that has existed for many years so you can confide in him without fear of penalty or of having that information divulged. This scheme appears inevitable to expose that privileged information to third parties who are not entitled to and not obligated by that privileged status. And the endgame is to drive private insurers out of business and impose a government monopoly on dispensing health care so you can't stop the bastards from snooping in your affairs.

[Kreutz]

My concern is that they will ask for information with no real connection with delivering health care to you; like whether you own a gun. Also, there is a patient-doctor privilege between you and your doctor that has existed for many years so you can confide in him without fear of penalty or of having that information divulged. This scheme appears inevitable to expose that privileged information to third parties who are not entitled to and not obligated by that privileged status.

When you sign that "authorization to bill third party" at a provider you waive all confidentiality. Don't need the government to do it for you.

[Kreutz]

Maybe I am missing something... does anyone know how the federal government having instant online access to any of this information improves the quality of healthcare in America?

It doesn't, but it "creates jobs" by forcing compliance & upgrades though.

I know the Obama Administration is trying to convert healthcare into a centrist state provided service..

The electronic medical record stuff started in 2006, it is called the Hitech Act.

Signed into law by Dubya.

but we are still capitalist engaging in private business, are we not?

US healthcare hasn't been capitalist since the 1950's, with the advent of third party payers/insurance companies.

It works more like a informal cartel with the government and the large for profit health insurance making all the demands on one end, with the providers making their own demands on the other end. In the middle being unhappily drawn and quartered is the patient.

The government is using medicare and medicaid money to force doctors into this? Isn't that criminal extortion and racketeering? How about this... your private business no longer accepts medicare and medicaid. Now they have no power. The only reason why these crappy federal programs exist is because the people let it.

Participation in medicaid/medicare is purely voluntary and always has been.

[Swampman]

You need to read that stuff again, boys. THEY AIN'T GONNA PAY THE DOCS THAT ARE FRIENDLY TO US. Even a man's friends have to eat.

I think what Rev may have been getting at, and certainly my intent, would be to pay them myself. It's already happening. Some docs have essentially dropped out of the system and have set up their own systems where a person or family pays a fixed monthly or annual fee and has access to certain services. More extensive services that would typically require a hospital stay or surgery are not included. This is starting to get back to the medical care system we left behind. I remember, as a child in the 1960's, going to a doctor and him charging my parents $10 for an office visit. We have a very long way to go to get back to a fee-for-service system that is totally between doctor and patient, but as long as the government keeps inserting itself further and further into our medical business, people will keep looking for a way out. Myself included.

[Wallace]

When the Constitution dies, we become slaves.

[0ne5hot]

You can pay out of pocket at just about any Drs office. Just tell them you want to pay cash for services instead of using insurance, when you are getting registered for your appointment and you might get an odd look at first but they will usually give you a discount and the Dr will even give you diffrent options on test, meds, and procedures to help bring down the cost of your vist. Also when you pay in cash the Dr does not need to wait 6+ months to get payed for your visit.

also SHOP AROUND the cost between Drs, hospitals, surgical centers and even clinics that share the same building are not always the same.

Insurance is mainly there for the ER visits when you have fluids leaking out of orifices that humans are not born with, body parts that are moving in unnatural ways, and other life threating issues

the problem with people in this country is that they have forgotten how CAPITALISM works

just the $0.02 rant of a mid 20s guy who has worked in the Emergency Medical Field for a few years so feel free to disregard cause what do I know anyway

[mamabearCali]

Y'all are too scrupulous. It is quite simple. Give them the answer they want unless it has anything to do with your treatment. It is how I got through college. It is how you get past these stupid questions.

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