The Government Will Protect Your Information
by Big Dog on Nov 28, 2009 at 10:05 Political
The US government is moving to impose health care reform on citizens against their will. People will be forced to buy health insurance, the first time in history a person had to purchase something to be a legal citizen. The 60% of us who pay income taxes will end up paying for the health care of the 40% that do not until government realizes that it must start taxing down the line in order to afford the albatross it is imposing.
Government will also make our medical records electronic so that they can be accessed by health care professionals all around. The government will also allow the IRS and other federal agencies to access our records to verify our eligibility. Don’t worry, the government assures us that our records will be safe and that certain things like whether one had an abortion will be left out of the records (because they know the records will be infiltrated).
The government is able to keep us secure. We will be given the same security as Obama himself who is guarded by thousands of armed agents and security professionals who ensure that he is always safe. So remember, the same government that allowed Obama’s security to be breached will be in charge of securing your medical records.
Michaele and Tareq Salahi posed as guests to the State Dinner honoring India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held at the White House. The Salahi’s were able to gain entry to the event even though they did not have an invitation, were not on the guest list, and were not in the data base of people cleared to enter such events. Basically, these two were able to get past all the security designed to keep Obama safe and they were able to have their pictures taken with Obama and Biden. Don’t you feel safe knowing your medical records will be protected by the same level of scrutiny that protects Obama?
Obama wants an investigation into the event to see how they were allowed to enter. No doubt their name played some part of this. There is no doubt that Mr. and Mrs. Robert Jones would never have been allowed to enter. The diversity police had to let the exotically named Salahi’s in to the event. If they had meant to do harm to Obama and Biden there is little the Secret Service could have done to prevent it. This government is the same group of people responsible for our national security. Is there any question as to why these people were able to enter so easily?
It is possible that this couple will face prosecution for what they did. I ask, is what they did any different than illegals crossing our border? Why should this couple be prosecuted for entering a house that belongs to the American citizen when our government allows that to happen on a larger scale each and every day? Why should we punish the Salahis when we will not punish those who enter this country illegally? Since Obama and the Democrats want to reward illegals with citizenship then we should give the Salahis some kind of reward as well. All they did was get past security to enter a house that belongs to Americans. So they slipped past security, people do that every day on our southern border.
But not to worry, this same security minded government will protect your medical information with the same diligence that it protects Obama. But keep in mind that our government has people like Patrick Leahy who leak secrets to the media. The New York Times routinely published our secrets and helped our enemies in the war on terror. The information came from somewhere inside the government.
If you run for office and have some medical condition that could be embarrassing to you as a candidate there is no doubt it will be leaked to the papers. Obama had court records unsealed in order to embarrass and beat his opponents in Illinois. Is there any doubt that medical records will be part of any opposition research?
The only way to ensure that our records are safe is not to give them the same security as Obama, but to give them the same security as Obama’s long form birth certificate.
Or, scrap this health care overhaul and start fresh to enact common sense reform.
In November of 2010 we need to purge the government of those who are working against our desires.
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Tags: birth certificate, medical records, Obama, party crasher, salahi
I do not trust the government to keep my information secure. I don’t trust them with my health. I don’ trust them with my tax dollars. I don’t trust them to keep the census data they collect confidential. I am almost at the point that I don’t trust our government to keep our country safe. How pathetic is it that one must be so distrusting of their elected so-called leaders.
Welcome to the land of hope and change.
The government is less trustworthy than the main stream press……….both can’t be trusted with anything……power to the people and kick all asses out of office that have platforms that mirror the Obama and anti-constituionist
forgive my spelling error for a concept so valuable, the term is Anti-Constitutionalist
I agree with BD- their name played right into the same thought- process that froze the Army people who would have and should have outed Hasan- but were afraid to do so out of fear of appearing anti- PC.
So this disease has hit the Secret Service also- I am not surprised. The old appointments Secretary, the person who used to stand at the door and check off people who were supposed to have an invitation, was told last spring that there was no need for her to do that anymore- so one layer of security was stripped away by the EGO THAT KNOWS NO BOUNDS- and while, in the end, it IS the Secret Service that must bear the ultimate blame, it is the attitude in the WH that drives this slovenly lapse in security.
Imagine- we could be having a “president Pelosi” right now, if these people had meant any true harm- and THAT (Pelosi) would utterly DESTROY THIS COUNTRY-
The Secret Service need to tell the Resident when to shut up and mind THEIR orders.
Bigd: “Don’t worry, the government assures us that our records will be safe”>>
DAR
France (best health care in the world) has had their smart card for years now and they report ZERO instances of information being hacked (other countries have similar results). People lose about a 1,000 of these cards a week but 80% of the time people just drop them in the mail and they get returned to their rightful owner.
You have to understand that in sensible countries there isn’t this terrible fear of someone discovering your health information. Reading someone else’s health data just makes for REALLY BORING reading. And that is as it should be. But here it is a very different story. And with good reason. People are terrified of this getting out because:
a) it can and will be used against them in employment
b) it can and will be used against them with their insurance.
People are even afraid to get tests because, even if the results are negative, it can STILL be used against them.
Insane.
In sensible countries, this really isn’t much of an issue. Maybe we can make this into a sensible country someday? One can hope.
D.
France does not have the best care in the world. Can you prove there ahve been no instances?
A smart card is like a national ID. Where is the Communist ACLU on this?
No, we do not need government intrusion into our lives.
Of course, you like that idea because you are a Socialist. You are unable to care for yourself so you need nanny gubmint to do it for you.
Bigd: “France does not have the best care in the world.”>>
DAR
I say that based upon the fact that any and all major scientific comparisons of health care systems around the world based upon standard objective analysis, France repeatedly comes in first or at least within the top three. Let me know if you would like me to repost all of this information again.
Bigd: Can you prove there ahve been no instances?>>
DAR
Two points:
a) In France there are no known instances.
b) Once you have a sensible health care system where people aren’t punished at work and by greed based health care systems, it becomes much less important (if not completely irrelevant) if someone were to see your health history.
Since I am self-employed and always will be, I really don’t care if anyone were to see my complete health history. Don’t care, at all. Many people in Canada (and these other countries) would feel similarly. It’s kind of a moot question. As I said, it makes for very boring reading.
Bigd: A smart card is like a national ID.>>
DAR
Actually it isn’t. It just streamlines the storage and transfer of health care information. I read somewhere that Bush put us on track to make this change over to electronic records but it is happening way too slow because of our complete mess of conflicting systems (you alluded to this earlier as well). We are way behind our peer countries and it is costing us an immense amount. Note:
***
“New England Journal of Medicine finds that health care bureaucracy cost Americans $294.3 billion in 1999. The $1,059 per capita spent on health care administration was more than three times the $307 per capita in paperwork costs under Canada’s national health insurance system. Cutting U.S. health bureaucracy costs to the Canadian level would have saved $209 billion in 1999.
The study was carried out by researchers at Harvard Medical School and the Canadian Institute for Health Information,…
“Hundreds of billions are squandered each year on healthcare bureaucracy, more than enough to cover all of the uninsured, pay for full drug coverage for seniors, and upgrade coverage for the tens of millions who are underinsured,”
Link.
Bigd: Where is the Communist ACLU on this?>>
DAR
Storing medical information electronically saves money and does not violate civil liberties, although the odd issue may pop up. If this concerns you, support the ACLU so they can keep an eye on it.
Bigd: you like that idea because you are a Socialist.>>
DAR
Nope. Stock trading, private business man and entrepreneur. That’s me. But basic health care shouldn’t be greed based. That’s a no brainer for those who have looked at the various systems around the world.
Bigd: You are unable to care for yourself>>
DAR
I have always done so. I came to the US in 1987 with about $300 and a high school education. Entirely through my own hard work and ingenuity I have increased my net worth about 1000 fold since then. If you don’t include at least a wee wisp of reality in your insults, they really don’t work very well.
D.
Sorry Darrel, in this country we have privacy laws. Regardless of how you feel, and no one really cares how you feel, there are laws that protect that information.
But if you will send me your complete medical records I will send you all the damaging things in there and how they can be used to hurt you and not by your employer. You assume that is the reason but it is not.
In the last two years I have probably looked at around 5000 medical records. It is not like you have some hidden knowledge about them or that you can actually tell me something about them I do not know.
Privacy laws prevent the release. But if it is OK with you that people see everyone else’s medical records then you have no problem with listening to their cell phone calls as well, right?
If you expect government to take care of you then you are not able to care for yourself.
And if Canada is so great why did you need to come here?
It is not greed based. Insurance companies make a 2% profit and Medicare denies more claims than all private insurance companies.
The things you cite are not scientific studies of health care. France does provide fairly good care but the people pay about 60% in taxes.
Not willing, no I won’t do that when the results are negligible and we already lead the world in too many categories.
Bigd: in this country we have privacy laws.>>
DAR
As do other countries. And these laws are not contravened by encrypted electronic storage of medical records versus antique paper records. That’s ridiculous.
Bigd: In the last two years I have probably looked at around 5000 medical records.>>
DAR
That’s nice. And those people were hurt by you looking their medical records in what way? Ridiculous. Of course the information is private, of course it can’t be released. This will not change if the information is stored on a smart memory chip instead of a stupid piece of paper. The paper method is *doomed.* Prepare thyself.
Bigd: Privacy laws prevent the release.>>
DAR
Duh. And this will not change if the information is stored on a memory chip instead of a piece of paper.
Bigd: Insurance companies make a 2% profit>>
DAR
Let’s give that little rightwing talking point a smack down right now. First of all, it’s entirely irrelevant even if it were true. It wouldn’t matter even if every single one of them were “non-profit” (and many of them are incidentally). Don’t be fooled. The number that actually goes in the profit line doesn’t remotely address how much money is being sucked up by an unnecessary industry that employs millions and thus wastes hundreds billions. Remember, a billing clerk per bed just on the hospital side? Add to that the insurance billing clerk talking to them. Add to that the nearly half a million insurance workers fiddling away trying to see if your pre-existing conditions qualify (I am dealing with this right now). And this industry spends billions in advertising while it flips 20% of it’s clients per year.
Observe the actions of this *NON PROFIT* health insurance company:
***
Blue Cross Blue Shield Execs Profited From Bogus Bonuses
BISMARCK, N.D. — Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota used premium payments to fund $15 million in employee bonuses, cover $35,000 for a retirement party and pay for other questionable expenses… It was the first audit of the nonprofit company since 2004.
Hamm ordered the audit in March, following criticism of a sales managers’ trip to the Grand Cayman Islands that cost $238,000…
Hamm said that of the $418 million in the company’s administrative expenses over the past five years, the audit found “millions and millions of dollars in excessive expenses.”
The report said that premium payments funded nearly $15 million in employee bonuses that were almost assured regardless of performance, a $3.5 million investment in a hotel in Fargo and sales reward trips to resorts totaling $1.2 million.
In one case, the audit found that $34,814 was spent for a party for a retiring vice president.”
LINK.
And that’s the “non-profit.” What a joke.
Bigd: The things you cite are not scientific studies of health care.>>
DAR
Of course they are. And you’ve got nothing.
D.
——————-
Here’s a new one:
http://www.conferenceboard.ca/HCP/Details/Health.aspx
I looked at those records as part of my job. If I had released any information I would be fined and fired. The issue is that government is unable to protect the info and if it is hacked into it can be released.
When any murse walking by can have access to this information, it can be “released” and passed along anonymously quite easily with little chance of anyone getting fined or fired. But what’s the point?
Having this information in electronic form and encrypted with only those who should have access to it actually having access (along with a record of who has accessed the file) may even allow for a greater level of security and privacy.
Anyway, this is moot. It’s inevitable and for the best. The piles of paper and endless filing cabinets method is archaic, expensive, a terrible waste, and a profound cause of medical errors (for which the US is a leader) and is completely doomed. Get ready for it.
D.
Any Nurse or other medical professional who releases the information will get fired. Anonymous does not work very well.
Electronic records can be great. Government does not belong involved. Let the entities who control them do so. Too often our information is compromised by government. VA records on a stolen laptop, hacked systems. It is not good to have government involved. They have no business being able to look at the information.
Let private companies take care of themselves. Let insurance companies compete freely without government intervention so people quit being raped by the government.