Monday August 4, 2008, 3:55 am
So now, ladies and gentlemen, your prescription history in black-and-white is available to potential insurers, at a cost far less than obtaining your entire medical history. These records are being used to pre-screen insurance applicants for health and life insurance.

But, as the article makes clear, many drugs are used to treat multiple conditions and diseases. Initially interpreting your risk-worthiness from prescriptions records might screen you right out of coverage, even if your complete medical records tell a different story.

Monday August 4, 2008, 3:57 am
Brave new world, here we come!

Monday August 4, 2008, 4:54 am
Noted, thanks, Cate.

Monday August 4, 2008, 4:57 am
This country gets more fun to live in everyday.

Monday August 4, 2008, 6:26 am
Someone forgot about Kaiser Permenente.

Monday August 4, 2008, 6:50 am
Noted, thanks Cate

Monday August 4, 2008, 7:01 am
Now if only they would PAY FOR THOSE PRESCRIPTIONS AND CARE YOU NEED,NOT JUST WHAT SOME HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE SAYS THEY SHOULD

Monday August 4, 2008, 7:22 am

Thanks for the alert Cate.

Monday August 4, 2008, 7:23 am
OH we all so know just how SAFE it is on the net for personal info (NOT!)..This to me is very scary.

Monday August 4, 2008, 9:08 am
Sounds scary nothings private anymore.

Monday August 4, 2008, 9:45 am
Health information, phone conversations...wonder what's next. Its all getting very scary. Thanks for the post Cate, noted.

Monday August 4, 2008, 9:56 am
Noted Cate, Thanks for the info.

Monday August 4, 2008, 10:26 am
Healthcare is free here in UK but with each citizens medical history on a central data base it is easily accessed by life insurance companies, prospective employers etc, in fact this is the norm now. I believe there is nothing in a UK citizens life history that cannot be accessed by anyone with a PC.

Monday August 4, 2008, 10:58 am
Just another reason to get my drugs from my local high school kids ; /

heh, heh -- jest kidding FBI guys : O

Monday August 4, 2008, 11:40 am
As I said before and I'll say it again: Info War!!

The newest comodety is gold or grain futures ....... but information!

Monday August 4, 2008, 1:01 pm

Thank you Cate!

Monday August 4, 2008, 1:30 pm
If they pay for the care and perscriptions, well, maybe ok. But they don't!

What's next? How many times we go to the bathroom and really use it? What is this world coming too???????

Monday August 4, 2008, 1:54 pm
CATE, NOTED AND AS USUAL, VERY PERTINENT TO TODAY'S wORLD.

Monday August 4, 2008, 1:56 pm
i worked in the medical profession back in the mid 80's when everything started changing to managed care... it was clear to me then, we here in the states were in for a big shake up... has everyone seen the movie "sicko"?

Monday August 4, 2008, 2:06 pm
Noted/thanks Cate

Monday August 4, 2008, 2:24 pm
That explains why I was rejected for that $25 life insurance policy. They figured I'm not worth a wooden nickel. But I know otherwise. So, they can keep their federal reserve notes. Time to go get more gas at Bush Mart.

Monday August 4, 2008, 4:11 pm
Noted.

Monday August 4, 2008, 5:04 pm
Signatures are piling up...that's GOOD. But we need a couple hundred more. JUSTICE FOR JULIE Everybody SIGN! *SMILE*

Monday August 4, 2008, 6:03 pm
What is the real complaint? That people have better data to look at to make more informed decisions? There's a good/bad side to the use of collected data..Good being the intelligence gained by collected experiences...what drugs work well together, what procedures work well & what others don't, and it keeps medical premiums lower. Bad side is the potential misuse which this article does not say occurs. There may be instances of misinterruption but that can easily happen without collected data --it just costs more to get there. It's such a highly regulated industry that true misuses or abuses will show up quickly and the govt will gleefully hammer the Insurance Companies.
Do you know how many medical errors occur a day in hospitals and perscriptions alone? It's just ridiculous!

Monday August 4, 2008, 6:07 pm

Ah the almighty pharmaceutical.........better living through chemistry!!

Thanks Cate, signed and noted.

Monday August 4, 2008, 8:06 pm
Here we have another example of how the law can be flagrantly violated as long as you are a big corporation. Medical professionals are so tied up with HIPPA regulations that they can't talk to a man's wife about his condition, but the insurance-pharmaceutical mafia can get any piece of info they want.

Monday August 4, 2008, 10:18 pm
50 Million Americans uninsured. While we pay for all our representatives to have EXCELLENT health benefits. That really irritates me.

We are being turned into slaves very quickly, now that the American People have been cast off as has-beens. Our middle class jobs are permanantly outsourced, to the 300 million people we will now be competing for everything with(read: YOUR costs will keep increasing). Healthcare, the future trend: premiums go up, and coverage keeps going AWAY!

We were SICKO'D a day after we saw an early out DVD of the movie. Not good.

"Your health is your greates Wealth". Very true in this medical corporation world.

Noted, thank you Cate.

Monday August 4, 2008, 10:50 pm
MAN am I A GONER! with all my medical PROBLEMS! I am sure it is out there for all to see no wonder my roomie is so paranoid of course she see things and hears things NO I do not make fun! It is a terrible place to be!

Tuesday August 5, 2008, 8:36 am
Let's not forget the ongoing plight of Julie Amero - please put your name on this petition today. Justice for Julie THANK YOU to you have already signed.

Tuesday August 5, 2008, 10:54 am
Doctors, Big Pharma, and the Insurance Companies:
I don't trust any of the three of them any further
than I could throw a grand piano.

Thanks, Cate!
noted.

Tuesday August 5, 2008, 11:20 am
Noted. Such a shame that what once was private can now be made available
for all to see even if it isn't any of their business. More money to be
made by the greedy and less coverage for those that need it. So very sad.

Tuesday August 5, 2008, 3:12 pm
NOTHING IS PRIVATE ANYMORE THANKS TO BIG BROTHER GOV.! I HAVE NO PRIVACY ANYHOW WITH 6 DOBERMANS MAKING EVERY TRIP TO THE BATHROOM I MAKE--MAYBE THEY LIKE TO JOIN THEM! THANKS CATE!

Tuesday August 5, 2008, 3:36 pm
Thanks Cate. Wonder what else they'd like to "post" about us!?

Wednesday August 6, 2008, 9:05 am
I say get rid of the insurance companies!

Pool the premiums that we are forced to pay against our will and use those funds to actually take care of people. Why make third parties, (the insurance companies) rich? They are created and thrive by preying on peoples fear of not being able to take care of themselves if a real emergancy hits.

Wednesday August 6, 2008, 9:21 pm
Thanks for the info Cate.

Sunday August 24, 2008, 6:45 am
This really isn't new. The life and health industries have always had access to the MIB (Medical Information Bureau). Which is why it is senseless to lie on an application.

They are just fine tuning and building upon what they already have.