I don't trust these guys: "Employers offer electronic medical data"

[Target_For_Exterm]

"WASHINGTON - Five of the nation's largest employers plan to soon give their workers a unique health care benefit — their very own electronic medical record that they can take when they travel, change jobs or see a new doctor.

About 2.5 million workers and their dependents would have access to their health records through their computer. The records will be compiled by an independent, nonprofit organization. The information will be stored in a database that only the employee is supposed to be able to access.

The companies providing the electronic health records are Applied Materials, BP America, Inc., Intel Corp., Pitney Bowes and Wal-Mart.

The companies hope that cutting out the paperwork in health care would reduce administrative costs, duplicative care and medical errors."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061206/ap_on_he_me/health_personal_records

First of all, I don't see how having electronic medical records can reduce medical costs. Unless they intend to use the system as a means to prevent employees from getting medical care, which is pretty much what happens to Medicaid recipients here in my state through the use of electronic records.

Secondly, I think companies WOULD get their hands on these records and use them as a means to discriminate in hiring and firing.

What can these people envision about how these records could be used that would justify the expense of creating the databases, which would be considerable? Whatever they envision, it would have to offset the costs (and add some savings) to creating the database itself. To me, that screams nefarious hidden agenda. Paperwork, duplicative care and medical errors don't cost companies that much money. Something stinks.

What are your thoughts on this?

[central scrutinizer]

1. and when they change jobs, they can be denied health coverage

much more easily for pre-existing conditions or other "underwriting" concerns.

[undeterred]

2. I love those good ol paper charts with bad handwriting

thats hard for someone else to read. Seriously. That tells me the doctor is keeping notes but it isn't going anywhere else, or if it does, its unlikely they'll be able to read it. Show me a doctor who is typing instead of talking and I am going to volunteer as little information as I have to in order to get what I need.

[RobofSWVA]

3. the one problem I see

would be using this as a big brother file.

If the use is completely benign, then it is a brilliant idea. Let me give an example related to my field. When I write new life insurance policies, the #1 holdup is related to obtaining medical records. The cost and time spent retrieving said records is not acceptable. The min. is 2weeks even for a person in perfect health. Some of our senior agents have gone as long as 4-6 weeks trying to receive records.

If there is a way to eliminate this problem without it being abused than lets go for it. The abusive potential can not be under stressed. IT MUST NOT BE USED BY THE WRONG PEOPLE.

As far as health coverage for switching jobs, know your HIPAA rights. HIPAA guarantees the continuation of health benefits to individuals who have been covered for 12 months immediately preceding a change of employment and who chooose to participate in the new employer's group health plan. It also applies to people who become self-employed.