21 Responses to “If The Government Was To Control Health Care, Do They Have The Right To Pry Into Your Medical Records?”

1. 

   T-Bone said on Thursday, September 3, 2009, 12:04

   To answer your question;
   Yes, I would not be surprised if Government kept track of everything from a person’s aids status to recreational drug usage. After all there is always a price to pay for free health care. HIPPA laws only applies to other people not the payer of the bills.
2. 

   Mike said on Thursday, September 3, 2009, 17:41

   No, those records would remain strictly to the people that already see them: doctors, nurses, etc. This is the way that it works in nations such as Canada and France, and the way that has been propsed for America.
   I reccomend watching the movie “Sicko” if you’re interested in this topic.
3. 

   Chainsaw said on Thursday, September 3, 2009, 20:53

   They would take that right. This is one major reason why they need to stay out of health care.
4. 

   TheOrange Evil said on Friday, September 4, 2009, 3:09

   Hard to tell. Probably not at first, but maybe eventually.
   The most frightening part? One person noted that the government can’t ‘cancel’ you. That’s exactly right, which is why a number of problems will result. Since the government can’t single you out for discrimination like a private company can, it’ll cut benefits and practice rationing to save on costs. Also, the government might attempt to obtain a statistical analysis of the most costly procedures and the most common form of death, and then make illegal all the risk factors that might lead to health problems.
5. 

   Adam B said on Friday, September 4, 2009, 4:02

   You mean like in Britain, which has a nationalized system but still has a national privacy law? Or like Canada, which has a single payor system but also has a national privacy law? In those countries medical records are restricted to those who have a need to see them, as it should be. And I certainly trust the government, which doesn’t make a profit, over private insurance companies, which do.
   In the United States we have no Constitutional right to privacy. A basic liberty that’s enshrined in the constitutions of many other democracies is missing here. That’s why we had to pass HIPAA – because otherwise there would be no protections at all.
6. 

   Noah H said on Friday, September 4, 2009, 10:54

   Nobody has suggested that the ‘government’ control anyones HEALTH CARE. The issue is affordable HEALTH INSURANCE. At least argue about what’s been suggested, not about some strawman tossed out by some right wing radio crackpot.
7. 

   amazin'g said on Friday, September 4, 2009, 15:53

   I believe they would.
   And, no I would not them that aware. That’s another reason I’m not in favor of universal health care. The govt. knows way too much already.
8. 

   justagir said on Friday, September 4, 2009, 16:52

   IF a candidate was actually proposing that the government pay for my health care, that would be an issue. But no one is. And as I have stated before, I believe the government could access my health records right now if they wanted to. They’re like that.
9. 

   Big Rand said on Friday, September 4, 2009, 18:10

   How do we actually know if our government looks at our medical records or not?
10. 

    Call Me Bwana said on Saturday, September 5, 2009, 1:07

    Of course. Just as they will then have the right to make demands on your diet and excersize habits, with the possibility of withholding treatment for non-compliance. Because, once they own your health care, they can ration it out.
    I don’t want government in charge of my health care. I don’t even like my company being in charge of providing insurance for me. I’d rather have that in my paycheck and get tax write-offs for buying my own.
    A free-market solution would be best.
11. 

    Anonymous said on Saturday, September 5, 2009, 1:51

    Yes they will know everything. Isn’t that comforting to know?
12. 

    Bekindto said on Saturday, September 5, 2009, 2:20

    One of these days, everyone’s health records will be on line, hopefully in a very secure file available only to medical personnel and hopefully available to each patient to view their own. This is bound to happen with or without a universal health insurance program. Supposedly it would save 70 billion $. Not sure how but that is the claim.
    In theory anyway, it is apt to stop people from getting fraudulent prescription drugs that are killing many people. Also, people with chronic illnesses have several doctors who each prescribe medication and often these medications don’t work well together. Pharmacys should also have access to this as part of the medical record. I don’t think the government should have access to it. What would be the point unless they have a court order for specific reasons.
13. 

    harryd said on Saturday, September 5, 2009, 5:06

    They WILL pry into your medical history. If you aren’t eating your veggies and working out for their prescribed number of hours at the health club, your benefits will either be reduced, or you’ll be put to sleep for failing to be healthy.
14. 

    labken18 said on Saturday, September 5, 2009, 9:45

    The HIPAA was passed under President Bill Clinton protecting your Health related information.
    Your medical history would not be able to be shared with a 3rd party (regardless of who it is) even if we had a Government ran single payer system.http://www.hhs.gov/news/facts/privacy.ht…
15. 

    The Oft-Suspended RP McMurphy said on Saturday, September 5, 2009, 14:34

    Of course!! That’s the best part!! Benevolent, all-knowing bureaucrats could take a peek at your chart and recommend all kinds of neat stuff for you!! For example, if you see a doctor for the flu, the safety Nazis could come to your house and do an audit of the germ quotient, to recommend “healthful” strategies for you to follow!!!! Doesn’t it all sound so wonderful!!!??? Who could possibly know what’s best for me besides my government??!! Certainly not me!!!!
16. 

    Anonymous said on Saturday, September 5, 2009, 20:17

    YES! They will have all your health records since everything in them will transfer over to the government when they take over. The government then will have control over virtually every aspect of your life. You will be born in a government hospital. Educated in a government school, have to report the the government all you financial information (tax returns), since the government will undoubtedly balloon under the care of a Democrat Congress and White House, you will possibly be employed by the government, reside in government subsidized housing, retire to a government nursing home when you get old (government runs ALL health care), die when the government decides you cost too much, and get buried in a cardboard box on government land. Sounds like the f**king Soviet Union, doesn’t it?
17. 

    vindikat said on Saturday, September 5, 2009, 20:29

    I’d be more comfortable with the government knowing my medical history under a single-payor system than I am with Cigna or Healthnet knowing it under a private insurance system, mainly because the private companies can try to cancel my policy if they find something wrong with me, whereas the government, which isn’t a profit-based industry, can’t.
18. 

    Trogdor said on Saturday, September 5, 2009, 20:57

    Absolutely. In fact the IRS can already do that, if you claimed any of your health care expenses on your taxes.
19. 

    tribeca_ said on Saturday, September 5, 2009, 22:08

    Maybe you should look into how it currently works under Medicare or Medicaid.
20. 

    Forget War Buy More said on Sunday, September 6, 2009, 2:40

    Well since your employer subsidizes your health care, do they have the right to pry into your medical records?
21. 

    enixus_i said on Sunday, September 6, 2009, 5:19

    I’ve lived in Italy for many years and now in Australia, where the gov. provides free health care for everyone. I couldn’t imagine to live where I had to pay for my own. The Gov doesn’t look up the patients records and hospitals are bound by privacy laws. Anyway I rather have the Gov know my medical history (who cares) than have to pay for my own insurance. What if people can’t afford it??