The End Of Medical Privacy: Bend Over For Your Government-Assigned Medical ID
Ron Paul writes:
Last week, the House of Representatives voted in favor of a Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill amendment to repeal the prohibition on the use of federal funds to create a "unique patient identifier." Unless this prohibition, which I originally sponsored in 1998, is reinstated, the federal government will have the authority to assign every American a medical ID.This ID will be used to store and track every American's medical history.
A unique patient identifier would allow federal bureaucrats and government-favored special interests to access health information simply by entering an individual's unique patient ID into a database. This system would also facilitate the collection of health information without a warrant by surveillance state operatives.
The health records database could easily be linked to other similar databases, such as those containing gun purchase records or education records. If mandatory E-Verify becomes law, the health records database could even be linked to it, allowing employers to examine a potential employee's medical history.
Maybe you're thinking, "Oh, that won't happen."
History shows us a different kind of wisdom: Assume the worst, when government is involved.
Also, this goodbye to medical privacy is sure to harm patient health and public health:
The unique patient identifier undermines one of the foundations of quality health care: the doctor-patient relationship. Accurate diagnosis requires that patients share intimate details about their lives -- ranging from details about their diet and exercise habits to their sexual history and alcohol and drug use -- with their physicians. If patients legitimately fear information shared will be compromised, they will be unwilling to be completely honest with their physicians, making it impossible for physicians to effectively treat their patients.Proponents of the unique patient identifier claim it will improve efficiency. But, in a free society, the government should never endanger privacy or liberty for efficiency. Besides, when has any government intervention in health care ever improved efficiency or increased patients' or health care providers' satisfaction with the system?
I already take care about what I do and don't let my doctor know.
My primary care doctor confused T3 and T4 (thyroxine and triiodothyronine, forms of thyroid) -- insisting she was right when I was, "Um...isn't T4...?" I have pages an endocrinology textbook pasted to my bathroom wall, so I'm clear on which is which.
I use doctors for tests, and lucky me, I can usually diagnose myself pretty well, as well as figuring out the most prudent remedies.
The best way to stay healthy: Avoid medical intervention whenever possible.
Well right now, the government is using your social security number as your medical ID. I wonder how this will be any different?
Maybe it will cut down a bit on identity theft to scam government and insurance companies?
Isab at June 24, 2019 8:58 AM
A lab report shows the result of your lab test and something called a reference interval or reference range for comparison. Every doctor I've ever worked with outside of a research setting thinks of the reference interval as the "normal" range. I.e. any result within that range is adequate and not a cause, result or sign of any problem. They think that the "normal" range is determined by some kind of research or expert analysis to find out what levels are adequate or optimal for normal health.
With a few exceptions, the reference interval on a lab report is a statistical calculation done periodically by each lab based on a sample of 120 or 200 test results. Outliers are eliminated (i.e. results that are beyond 3 standard deviations from the mean) and the reference interval is the middle 95% of the sample. So 2.5% of test results are below the reference range and 2.5% are above.
A few reference ranges are determined by some consensus of medical experts, supposedly based on the results of clinical studies, but possibly influenced by lobbying or research grants and donations from government agencies, pharmaceutical companies and advocacy organizations. The American Diabetic Association and the American Heart Association have developed consensus reference intervals for glucose, Hemoglobin A1c, cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Some people suspect that their recommendations may be influenced by financial support from companies that make statins, antihypertensives and antihyperglycemic drugs.
A lot of things affect the reference range: the age, race, sex and health of the sample population; lab conditions; geographic location; how, when and where the sample was collected; the competence and integrity of the lab staff. For any given lab reference ranges vary from time to time. At any given time reference ranges may be different from one lab to another.
So if your TSH, T4, T3, free T4 or free T3 are close to the low or high end of the reference interval, your doctor may consider everything to be A-OK at one point in time, and then want to treat you for the same level the next time.
Ken R at June 24, 2019 11:50 AM
The best way to stay healthy: Avoid medical intervention whenever possible.
And the corollary: if you want to get REALLY sick, go to the hospital!
mpetrie98 at June 24, 2019 4:29 PM
Umm... if you want "national" health care, your records have to be available everywhere. Right now "your" data belongs to the doctor in some states, and to you in others. So much for treating you immediately if you're traveling and something happens.
Radwaste at June 27, 2019 2:15 AM
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