Talking to Emporians last week about what ails health care, Rep. Jerry Moran, R-Hays, pointed to a personal experience: When he needed treatment three times in three different locations, the same tests were run at each site. “If I could have taken my records with me, I could have cut costs by a third,” he said. Among his other proposed solutions: Allowing small companies to transcend state borders to collaborate on affordable health insurance, and offering a tax credit for health club memberships.
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20 Comments
It’s an election year, the time when Republicans pretend to care about the common folk.
In this day of electronics, I don’t see why not. It would save a lot of time and money if a patient’s medical history was known and could be reviewed instantly by a physician not normally seen.
Accidents are a prime example of the need for portable medical records accessed electronically. The ability to read records could be a matter of life and death.
Also, those with chronic or acute conditions would benefit from portable medical records. Our society is very mobile, so our medical records need to be very mobile as well.
Moran is a moron.
HIPAA allows Moran to take his health care records with him any where he goes. The ‘P’ in HIPAA stands for portability. If you have been to the doctor in the last four years they gave you a summary of their responsibilities and your rights under HIPAA. You have had to sign a statement that you understand the doctor’s responsibilities and your rights under HIPAA.
Evidently, Moran signed that statement without understanding his rights.
Like I said, Moran’s O.K., but he ain’t the brightest bulb.
“but he ain’t the brightest bulb.”
Yeah, but the people who continue to vote for him are not known for brilliance either.
And the democrats cant seem to find a brighter bulb to run.
Thank you tim peterson.
I think everytime you go to the doctor or hospital you should be given a copy of everything that took place. Malpractice would plummit.
Have you tried to take your records with you to different doctors? Some primary care doctors make it as difficult as possible for you to get copies to take with you to specialists. Our current doc is pretty good with that, but in the past we’ve had doctors that claimed that it took a month to make the copies.
And Moran has long be an advocate for health care. He was championing the parity issue on mental health care long before it became a national issue. My wife and I corresponded with him on the issue when we were involved with NAMI.
You can disagree with him, but don’t wrongly accuse him of things just because he’s a Republican. Life is too short to be a jerk to everyone you disagree with.
What are the privacy safeguards? I think these are good ideas but would like to hear more of the details.
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lindainks55
Posted August 17, 2008 at 9:41 am | Permalink
What are the privacy safeguards? I think these are good ideas but would like to hear more of the details.
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GOOGLE HIPAA
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Colija
Posted August 17, 2008 at 9:28 am | Permalink
I think everytime you go to the doctor or hospital you should be given a copy of everything that took place. Malpractice would plummit.
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Yea, that would make health care costs plummit!
It is possible with today’s technology for every one to have a zip drive on their key chain with their entire medical record.
Our clinic is digital. We could download your record in seconds. Then we could merely plug your zip drive in every time you enter the clinic and when you leave you could have your updated records with you.
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As far as moron Moran goes, not knowing which tests he’s talking about we can’t really debate his particular case. However, I can get anybody’s medical records in a matter of minutes from the time you sign a release. I can have your digital xrays or MRI on my computer by the time you have finished your initial paperwork in our clinic.
If his tests were blood tests or something similar that required lab work, you have to realize that they are merely a snapshot of your condition. They ore only good at the time when compared with normals or previous similar tests. They are like taking a photo of a NASCAR race on lap 22 and then trying to predict the winner ten laps later.
Moran getting identical tests three times at three different clinics might have been necessary. Then again, he’s a politician. He lies.
Hank, before I became a bum I worked daily with health insurance. I know the pros and cons of HIPPA. I also know that just because there are regulations and laws, doesn’t ensure everyone follows them or even knows them. You may know, understand and implement the laws in your wife’s office, but you aren’t responsible for other offices that provide medical care so probably shouldn’t be willing to guarantee anything outside one chiropractic practice.
There is no reason why Moran should have had multiple tests. Everything- even CT’s can be transmitted electronically, and in a very short time. I know because that was my JOB to send xrays *they’re not done the way they used to be* and those records where they needed to go.
So unless he’s planning to carry a thing of medical information around with him- which would be subject to being STOLEN, it makes no sense.
And everyone already has access to their medical files, they just have to ask. I don’t like the WAY they make you ask, but it is available nontheless.
Dear P-mom,
“There is no reason why Moran should have had multiple tests.”
I gave several reasons. We don’t know what ‘tests’ he’s referring to.
Again, many tests are only useful when compared to the normal. Let’s say you get a blood test and your platelets are low, compared to normal. The next question, either before or after treatment is, ‘is the count decreasing or increasing?’ You need another test.
If you are in the hospital they’ll draw blood several times a day sometimes. Only by comparing the tests can they know if their treatment is effective and if the changes are positive.
Xrays, MRIs and CT scans, not so much, especially if the first one was negative. However, if a tumor is found or many other possible pathologies then another test would be required to judge progression.
If I was a betting man, and I am, I would bet that Moran made up a little personal medical anecdote to make a point. He’s a politician, he can tell you twenty versions of the truth and never lie.
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lindainks55
Posted August 17, 2008 at 11:09 am | Permalink
. . . but you aren’t responsible for other offices that provide medical care so probably shouldn’t be willing to guarantee anything outside one chiropractic practice.
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HEHEHE
I promised no guarantee! Our office complies with the law! For the first year HIPAA was implemented, every office seemed to have a different opinion of what release was required to provide medical records. It’s calmed down a lot and I generally do not have any problems.
Providers are notorious for not supplying records to insurance companies because they tend to request them only when they have decided to deny payment for care and they need an excuse. However, the law (though not enforced) is very clear.
However, I can get anybody’s medical records in a matter of minutes from the time you sign a release.
Hypothetical: What if you’re unable to sign a release at the time the records are needed? I could see this covered by a pre-signed release, but is that what you have?
Technology is increasing faster than we can keep up. Surely there’s a way–other than Hank’s jump drive–that records can be transferred in minutes or even seconds from one doctor to another, even across the globe, and be done in a safe, secure way.
Providers are notorious for not supplying records to insurance companies because they tend to request them only when they have decided to deny payment for care and they need an excuse. However, the law (though not enforced) is very clear.
Hank, it’s good to see you admit that insurance companies do this. So you agree that people, even the insured, are not getting the proper care, due to the whim of insurance companies? Or am I reading you wrong?
Hank,
I have mixed feelings about the transfer of records, the more I think about it. I don’t know that leaving the transfer itself (via whatever zip, jump, flash, whatever) is wise. To be honest, I wouldn’t have trusted my 85-year-old mother with this sort of thing. Believe me, she would’ve lost whatever within minutes! I would feel safer for all concerned if records were transferred electronically between doctors, not doctor to patient to doctor. OTOH, we must know that our records are secure in the transfer.
My mother had probably at least 6 different doctors. Most of those were specialists (heart, cancer, cataract, foot, a couple of surgeons, with a GP thrown in to “oversee” her health. This was not her first GP, by all means, but had been long term. The thing is, she had 2 gallon baggies of prescription drugs, and a list in her billfold a mile long, which I doubt was completely current. At one point, they weren’t sure if her signs of dementia were truly dementia or a drug interaction. Also, she was given antibiotics routinely prior to a procedure by one doctor, but the doctor at the assisted living facility would not honor it, saying he didn’t believe she needed it. I worried quite often that her care was not being monitored by ANYONE very well. Better communication by doctors and their offices was definitely needed!
And people wonder why I don’t put a lot of stock in the medical community as a whole…
Predestined
Posted August 17, 2008 at 7:04 pm | Permalink
Hypothetical: What if you’re unable to sign a release at the time the records are needed? I could see this covered by a pre-signed release, but is that what you have?
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We don’t have this problem, all our patients can sign a release.
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Predestined
Posted August 17, 2008 at 7:05 pm | Permalink
Hank, it’s good to see you admit that insurance companies do this. So you agree that people, even the insured, are not getting the proper care, due to the whim of insurance companies? Or am I reading you wrong?
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I don’t have a problem with most insurance companies. Most people that work for large corporations or government entities, Ratheon – Cessna – USD259, don’t have ‘insurance’ they participate in an employer’s self financed health care plan. The ‘insurance’ company merely administers a plan that has been agreed to my the union and management.
As far as people not getting needed care because their insurance company (read union contract in a lot of cases) won’t pay for it, I ask people if they would neglect to buy tires or change their oil, or rebuild their engine if their car insurance or maintenance plan didn’t cover it.
My jump drive or zip drive was just a hypothetical. It would be easy and inexpensive to implement. That’s a lot of what HIPAA is about.
Almost all xrays are digital. I can get an Xray report by fax or email within minutes. I can get the actual Xray as an attachment in minutes. Many patients bring them on a CD.
The whole premise of this thread “Moran wants portable health records” is false. I don’t know who to blame, Moran or Holman.
right as well as intense