MetaFilter posts tagged with medical and privacy

Everyone's Favorite Upstart Mom-and-Pop Search Engine Tries to Yank Watchdog's Funding

univac — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 10:57:24 -0800

Bob Boorstin, Google's Director of Policy Communications, wrote a letter to the Rose Foundation, suggesting that the foundation stop funding Consumer Watchdog, an outspoken Google critic. Google later apologized for sending the letter. The latest accusations involve claims that Google lobbied Congress to gain the ability to profit from the sale of electronic medical records, a claim that Google denies. Consumer Watchdog countered that Google should back up its denial by fully disclosing its lobbying efforts.

Big healthcare is watching.

uaudio — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 20:50:06 -0800

A new medical bill payment reporting system called MedFICO is said to be going live this summer. This system is being developed by the health care industry in an effort to judge a patient's ability to pay. Healthcare Analytics, a healthcare actuarial company, is developing the score in conjunction with Tenet Healthcare, credit scoring company Fair Issac, and venture capitalists. On one hand, it could lead to better and affordable pricing models based on ability to pay. On the other more likely and frightening hand, hospitals may deny your care based on previous inability to pay, pay on time, or keep medical billing errors off your record. After all, the corporate, for-profit hospitals have a responsibility to their shareholders. Federal law mandates that no hospital can deny your emergency care. But if you need to have a colonoscopy and have a few late payments to your allergist, will you now have to shop around for hospitals that are 'willing to take a chance' on you paying them?

Your prescription is their business.

melissa may — Tue, 07 Dec 2004 22:26:02 -0800

Just Say No To Drug Stores. As we've previously discussed, drug companies aggressively market to doctors and consumers. In September, the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse sued supermarket chain Albertsons for allegedly violating consumer rights by being paid to promote the products of pharmaceutical companies such as AstraZeneca with calls and letters based on personal prescription history. If you've been pitched by your drugstore, the PRC would like to know (confidentially, of course).

beth — Thu, 18 Jul 2002 14:25:02 -0800

Pregnancy test results are not considered part of confidential medical records. Why, you say? Because the cops wanted to find out who dumped an abandoned baby, and subpoenaed Planned Parenthood's records to see who had gotten positive pregnancy test results recently. The rationale for the judge's ruling? "...the records aren't medical records because the staff who provide pregnancy tests aren't required to be doctors or nurses."