Medicare requiring information on guns in your home

[onpoint]

My wife was talking with her father who is now 70 years old. He was in Perrier South Dakota to see the doctor the other day. He was given a questionnaire to fill out. One of the questions was how many guns he had in the house.

Well, he was all in a up roar about current Admin requiring this kind of info because he was on Medicare. That brought my attention level to it's peak. Lit a fire under me to say the least. Well I took to investigating just what was what on this matter. Come to find out. It has nothing to do with Medicare. It is the medical Ind. taking it upon themselves to pry into your private life asking for this information. If you are put in this situation, my advise is to refuse to provide such information. It's none of their damn business. Don't let them scam you into believing this is some new government regulation. They even went as far as to tell my father-inlaw that he had to answer it or face possibly loosing his Medicare coverage.

Read this from snopes.

http://snopes.com/politics/guns/medicare.asp

 

[onpoint]

There may be more to this. Please feel free to add to the discussion but ONLY post with facts and pleases leave the party affiliation or political bashing at the door.

Something to remember, the whole nation's medical industry is going to electronic medical records. Any information you provide will be a permanent part of your medical records. Not advised at all IMO.

 

[Phil V.]

The other day I seen that some employers are asking people they interview for their facebook password to look at their facebook page.

 

[carptom1]

There may be more to this. Please feel free to add to the discussion but ONLY post with facts and pleases leave the party affiliation or political bashing at the door.

Something to remember, the whole nation's medical industry is going to electronic medical records. Any information you provide will be a permanent part of your medical records. Not advised at all IMO.

Although we don't seem to agree much, i will agree with you on this one. No reason for them to ask a question like this. I find this to be intrusive.

 

[koja48]

I'll take the Sgt. Schulz approach: "I know NOTHING." Hell, if I told them the truth, they wouldn't pay for an aspirin on my account . . .

 

[OldDublin]

Please feel free to add to the discussion but ONLY post with facts and pleases leave the party affiliation or political bashing at the door....

"he was all in a up roar about current Admin requiring this kind of info because he was on Medicare."...., you just have to laugh some times at content.

There is far too much personal info being released under many guises.
No doubt some is meant well and is, some is meant well and misguided or manipulated and, some is meant to use for profit or to further an agenda.
Best to stay mum...best not to lie.
Best not to widen any issue.
Best not to use Snopes as a font of unblemished truth.

 

[mnmthunting]

I wouldn't mind lying in a case like this?

Don't know if I would rather say "I have about 1999 guns" or " have 1 cap gun"
Seems like they are getting as much info on people as they can.


Last time I was at the doctor. Receptionist Asked for picture ID, copied it. my full name and date of birth.
Nurse takes me to the doctors office, asks for my full name and date of birth. Then asks "do you feel safe in your home" Well: confused:
She added "we are required to ask all patients these questions".

 

[jnormanh]

Best not to use Snopes as a font of unblemished truth.

Well, maybe not. It's always better to go to the original source, in this case Medicare.

However, it's a lot better to use Snopes or Factcheck.org than it is to reply on some internet rumor/baloney.

Saaaaaaay...did you know that FEMA is building prison camps all over the USA so they can lock us up? I know that's so, because I saw the video......except that in the video was a road sign from Australia for an industrial park. LMAO!

 

[jnormanh]

Then asks "do you feel safe in your home" Well: confused:
She added "we are required to ask all patients these questions".

She's not asking because anyone cares about your guns. It's a simple quick test to find out whether you have a possible mental disorder...and the information is shared with no one except the physician in charge.

"They" are not out to get you.

 

[Uncle Buck]

She's not asking because anyone cares about your guns. It's a simple quick test to find out whether you have a possible mental disorder...and the information is shared with no one except the physician in charge.

"They" are not out to get you.

I do not understand the association between guns and a "possible" mental disorder. Still not the government's interest.

It is suggested by some that statistically if you have a gun or guns that you are more likely to injure yourself with one and therefore a greater risk for insurance. If you ride a motorcycle, own a gun and like to jitterbug when drunk you are uninsurable. I'll tell the Dr. to go to hell in the same breath as the government.

 

[mnmthunting]

She's not asking because anyone cares about your guns. It's a simple quick test to find out whether you have a possible mental disorder...and the information is shared with no one except the physician in charge.

"They" are not out to get you.

Didn't mean to relate that to gun ownership.
How do you know it's not shared?
As moderator I have ways of determining a possible mental disorder.

 

[SDJIM]

She's not asking because anyone cares about your guns. It's a simple quick test to find out whether you have a possible mental disorder...and the information is shared with no one except the physician in charge.

"They" are not out to get you.

That may be true now but soon all medical records will be digital and whats to keep the rules from changing and then your gun ownership is really easy to get from the files--call me crazy but every time a goverment has gone bad the first thing they do is take away private gun ownership--and don't say it can't happen here. Lets just not help the process.

 

[jnormanh]

I do not understand the association between guns and a "possible" mental disorder. Still not the government's interest.

It is suggested by some that statistically if you have a gun or guns that you are more likely to injure yourself with one and therefore a greater risk for insurance. If you ride a motorcycle, own a gun and like to jitterbug when drunk you are uninsurable. I'll tell the Dr. to go to hell in the same breath as the government.

There is no Medicare requirement to ask about guns. None. Zero, zippo, nada.

Good grief, Uncle Buck. Nobody is after your guns or mine, nobody is trying to take them away, nobody is suspecting you or me of being crazy or criminal.

Now ask yourself: Has any physician ever asked you or anyone you know about guns?


Lighten up.

 

[jnormanh]

That may be true now but soon all medical records will be digital and whats to keep the rules from changing and then your gun ownership is really easy to get from the files--call me crazy but every time a goverment has gone bad the first thing they do is take away private gun ownership--and don't say it can't happen here. Lets just not help the process.

Try this: Ask your physician to see your medical records. Is there any mention of guns there?

There is nothing in mine, I've never been asked by any physician, and I'll bet there's nothing about guns in your records either.

 

[jnormanh]

How do you know it's not shared?

It's against the law for a physician to share your medical records with ANYONE other than their immediate office staff, without your permission.

Here, read for yourself:

Privacy Rule

The effective compliance date of the Privacy Rule was April 14, 2003 with a one-year extension for certain "small plans". The HIPAA Privacy Rule regulates the use and disclosure of Protected Health Information (PHI) held by "covered entities" (generally, health care clearinghouses, employer sponsored health plans, health insurers, and medical service providers that engage in certain transactions.)[11] By regulation, the Department of Health and Human Services extended the HIPAA privacy rule to independent contractors of covered entities who fit within the definition of "business associates".[12] PHI is any information held by a covered entity which concerns health status, provision of health care, or payment for health care that can be linked to an individual.[13] This is interpreted rather broadly and includes any part of an individual's medical record or payment history. Covered entities must disclose PHI to the individual within 30 days upon request.[14] They also must disclose PHI when required to do so by law, such as reporting suspected child abuse to state child welfare agencies.[15]

A covered entity may disclose PHI to facilitate treatment, payment, or health care operations,[16] or if the covered entity has obtained authorization from the individual.[17] However, when a covered entity discloses any PHI, it must make a reasonable effort to disclose only the minimum necessary information required to achieve its purpose.[18]

The Privacy Rule gives individuals the right to request that a covered entity correct any inaccurate PHI.[19] It also requires covered entities to take reasonable steps to ensure the confidentiality of communications with individuals.[20] For example, an individual can ask to be called at his or her work number, instead of home or cell phone number.

The Privacy Rule requires covered entities to notify individuals of uses of their PHI. Covered entities must also keep track of disclosures of PHI and document privacy policies and procedures.[21] They must appoint a Privacy Official and a contact person[22] responsible for receiving complaints and train all members of their workforce in procedures regarding PHI.[23]

An individual who believes that the Privacy Rule is not being upheld can file a complaint with the Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR).[24][25] However, according to the Wall Street Journal, the OCR has a long backlog and ignores most complaints. "Complaints of privacy violations have been piling up at the Department of Health and Human Services. Between April of 2003 and November 2006, the agency fielded 23,886 complaints related to medical-privacy rules, but it has not yet taken any enforcement actions against hospitals, doctors, insurers or anyone else for rule violations. A spokesman for the agency says it has closed three-quarters of the complaints, typically because it found no violation or after it provided informal guidance to the parties involved."[26] However, in July 2011, UCLA agreed to pay $865,500 in a settlement regarding potential HIPAA violations. An HHS Office for Civil Rights investigation showed from 2005 to 2008 unauthorized employees, repeatedly and without legitimate cause, looked at the electronic protected health information of numerous UCLAHS patients.[27]

 

[jnormanh]

That may be true now but soon all medical records will be digital and whats to keep the rules from changing and then your gun ownership is really easy to get from the files--call me crazy but every time a goverment has gone bad the first thing they do is take away private gun ownership--and don't say it can't happen here. Lets just not help the process.

Crikey! Aren't you aware of the recent Heller Supreme Court decision? The Court has just come down supporting individual gun ownership.

 

[SDJIM]

Crikey! Aren't you aware of the recent Heller Supreme Court decision? The Court has just come down supporting individual gun ownership.

All of your arugments are true, however I do not trust that it will ALWAYS be true--and every despot has started by getting control of private firearms and all I'm saying is we don't need to help them. I'm 64 and will likely be dead before it comes to that, but I do think there will come a time when "THEY" come for everyones guns, happened in England, Australia in varing degrees just to mention a few.

 

[mnmthunting]

J manh, You do know that anything put on the puter/ net, is forever on record for all, forever. Kinda for all of our safety and well being, you think? Well for me, I like my privacy. Ummm I know lost cause. Still! don't need to be OK with it.

 

[jnormanh]

All of your arugments are true, however I do not trust that it will ALWAYS be true--and every despot has started by getting control of private firearms and all I'm saying is we don't need to help them. I'm 64 and will likely be dead before it comes to that, but I do think there will come a time when "THEY" come for everyones guns, happened in England, Australia in varing degrees just to mention a few.

Well....I can't see into the future either, but I doubt that we're going to have a government which requires that we all eat green cheese on Thursdays, or convert to Islam, or end gun ownership. I don't think the earth is going to end on September 12, 2012 either, although there are those who are fearful of that too.

Just FYI, nobody has "come for everyones guns" in either England or Australia. Yes, there are regulations in both those countries, but law-abiding citizens in both those countries can own and use guns. In fact for the past several summers I have shot with two Brits who come here, with their guns. No problem. Those same Brits are avid grouse hunters in England, and the Aussies hunt lots of 'roos, deer, pigs, goats, fox, rabbits, buffalo, and ducks.

No, you can't walk down a city street in England or Australia with a pair of 1911s on your hip, but then you can't walk down the street here with a Thompson M1 either. Neither of those things are a hardship for me.

 

[jnormanh]

J manh, You do know that anything put on the puter/ net, is forever on record for all, forever. Kinda for all of our safety and well being, you think? Well for me, I like my privacy. Ummm I know lost cause. Still! don't need to be OK with it.

If you are truly sincere about protecting your privacy, you can do a pretty good job of it.

1. Get off the internet. Search nothing, read nothing, post nothing. If you want to do research, read at the library, but don't check anything out. If you want books, buy them cash.

2. Get rid of your cellphone.

3. Join nothing - no church, political organization, club.

4. Stop using bank accounts and credit cards. Pay cash.

5. Volunteer for nothing. No boy scouts, men's garden club, nothing.

6. Do work where you get paid in cash.

If you're paranoid, you can do a good job of hiding in plain sight.