Okay, since my last post I have been much more aware of what I am signing when I receive standard forms to sign. I took my son to a prestigious, local hospital for an echo scan on his heart. When we checked in we handed over our information and we were asked to start the signing process on all the forms. The intake personnel woman said, "sign here on the electronic pad" without even asking us to read anything. I asked for the information and she gladly offered us the reading material. Under the Notice of Privacy Practices there were some new additions that I had never seen before. Here are the two additions which concerned me the most:
q National Security and Intelligence Activities. We may release medical information about you to authorized federal officials for intelligence, counterintelligence, and other national security activities authorized by law.
q Protective Services for the President and Others. We may disclose medical information about you to authorized federal officials so they may provide protection to the President, other authorized persons or foreign heads of state or conduct special investigations.
I also was not down to give away my son's info to research as stated blow.
q Research. Under certain circumstances, we may use and disclose medical information about you for research purposes. We will almost always ask for your specific permission if the researcher will have access to your name, address or other information that reveals who you are, or will be involved in your care at the facility.
... they almost always ask for permission? That is not comforting.
The woman at the desk assured me I could opt out of these if I called the number listed on the hard copy of the privacy policy I requested. So we went on with our visit.
When we got home I called the number given which rang the privacy manager's voice-mail. About two hours later my call was returned and it was then that I found out I could only opt out of the research portion. Turns out the other two were federally mandated and it does not mater if one signs or not... we have no privacy! I was pissed and concerned at this point and was desperate for a loophole. Well, for now there is one... if you're rich! I found out through a friend in health care that you can be exempt from this if you pay cash at your visit and avoid credit cards and insurance claims. That to me is both very interesting and confusing. I wonder how long this option will last?
Here's a little cherry on top for you... a couple days later I visited a client of mine who works for a big wig pharmaceutical company and she let me know some other disturbing information. I was told that whenever a doctor submits a prescription for a patient the pharmacy does not get it right away. First, the order goes to a government hub somewhere in D.C. This government hub stores data on every drug every person is on and for how long. This government hub can also reject a prescription without giving a reason and they answer to no one. My client does not know the purpose of this entity nor does any of her coworkers. This is not a secret government sect. They are open about their part in the chain of prescription filling. However, they will not explain the detail of their operation to the providers, drug companies, insurance companies or patients.
I am going to keep on writing about this decay of freedom until some force busts in my home and confiscates my computer and whatever else they find fascinating. I am going to speak my truth until freedom of speech is completely ripped away, if that is the direction things are going.
Is it?
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