Pediatricians asking parents about gun ownership

[jlw02tx]

I've been a lurker for sometime and have appreciated all of the great information I've learned from everyone. I've come across a situation that compelled me to finally register and I was hoping to get some feedback.

I am a parent to two small children (under 2) so I frequently have to take them to the pediatrician. Every time we are there for a well visit they ask me whether or not there are guns in the home. The first time I went I was so exhausted from having a two week old baby I just answered and went on my way. But the more I think about it the more it makes me uncomfortable. After the first visit I just answered that I didn't have any guns in the home but the doctor recently made it very clear that the information was stored in the computer on the first visit so it doesn't matter what I say now. I'm even more uncomfortable with the information being stored than I was by being asked the question in the first place.

I dont' like the situation for several reasons but mostly I just don't feel it is any of their business. There are other 'safety' questions, all of which of none of the pedi.'s business, but the gun question just bothers me the most.

Has anyone else experienced this? I plan on refusing to answer and asking them to remove the information from my file next time but I'm not sure that will do any good.

I apologize if this is in the wrong section, if it is let me know and I can move it.

[surprise_i'm_armed]

IIRC, Florida was considering outlawing the asking of this question by docs.

This is intrusive questioning. What the heck is the doc going to do if you answer yes? Nothing.
So why invade someone's privacy?

Maybe you should turn the tables on him and ask him if he has stopped beating his wife. :-)

SIA

[jmra]

Took both of my boys (12 and 10) in for Check ups/shots before school started. Was asked about guns in the home and I answered "Absolutely! And both of the boys are marksmen to boot".
I even showed pics of the deer they killed last season.

Don't really care if they know I have guns in the house. The day someone knocks on the door to confiscate them they will find an empty house and they are more than welcome to anything left in it.

[jlw02tx]

I knew there was some discussion in Florida about a law but I was curious about Texas. I can't find any information on it if there is anything going on. What I think is funny is they've never asked about carseats in any of the safety interrogations but gun ownership is the first thing they ask about. I just get the feeling that they see it as their job to protect my kids, which I have a huge problem with. I will see what happens during our visit next week but I think it's time to part ways with this doctor anyway.

[jlw02tx]

It's not confiscation I'm worried about, it's my insurance company using it against me that I'm worried about. Not to mention the fact that anyone who has access to their computers has my home address and knows that there are guns in the house. I go back and forth between being irritated and thinking I'm making a big deal out of nothing.

[RoyGBiv]

If you're uncomfortable with your pediatrician, for any reason, find a new one. Last time a checked, medicine was a service business and there were plenty of service providers.

If my Doc ever call me out on changing my previous answer on guns in the house, and reminded me that I was already "on record", it would certainly be the last time my shadow ever darkened his/her doorway.

YMMV

[Heartland Patriot]

If you're uncomfortable with your pediatrician, for any reason, find a new one. Last time a checked, medicine was a service business and there were plenty of service providers.

If my Doc ever call me out on changing my previous answer on guns in the house, and reminded me that I was already "on record", it would certainly be the last time my shadow ever darkened his/her doorway.

YMMV

I agree wholeheartedly. Seems like that should be no one's business but the individual's as long as no laws are being broken.

[Jumping Frog]

I see you are new to this forum, so WELCOME!

It's not confiscation I'm worried about, it's my insurance company using it against me that I'm worried about. Not to mention the fact that anyone who has access to their computers has my home address and knows that there are guns in the house. I go back and forth between being irritated and thinking I'm making a big deal out of nothing.

Don't forget that part of Obama-"care" is establishing a national medical information database. If is far more than just your insurance company.

[C-dub]

Maybe you should turn the tables on him and ask him if he has stopped beating his wife. :-)

SIA

That same thought went through my mind as I read the OP and then I get to your post.

How I respond if our pediatrician ever asks this question will be entirely up to what kind of mood I'm in at the time. I doubt I would actually reply with the above question since she's a she, but even so. The car seat situation is an interesting point, but our has asked about that. Also, fortunately, we are well past that stage. So, depending on my mood, we may just walk out or I might show her pictures of my daughter shooting her EBR.

Already in the system? That can be changed. And I hadn't even thought about the insurance angle. Whoa!

[RPBrown]

Either find a new Doc, answer none ya business, or play along with the nonsense. Those are basically your only choices. Although I am past that with my kids, I have had to take the grandkids in a few times and basically answered none of your business. If it had been a doctor of my choice instead of my daughter in laws, I would have walked out after telling them why. As far as I'm concerned, some of the questions they ask are an invasion of privacy and should not be allowed. Just my.02

[G.A. Heath]

If the doctor is not qualified/certified on a subject they are asking about or treating you for then it is a boundry violation. In that situation I would simply ask the doctor what qualifications or professional training he has regarding firearms. If he doesn't provide any then I would warn him of the potential boundry violation and ask that he retain his professionalism and deal with subjects that he is qualified to discuss. The same goes if he is asking about what kind of tires I have on my car or if he's asking what breed of dog/cat I own.

[SkipB]

I don't know why they ask that question but I wouldn't worry about it to much. It ain't a prelude to taking our guns. If it bothers you then ask the doctor why he or she ask that question. A gun of any kind is made for one reason and that is to kill, safety is first and formost.

[DocV]

After the first visit I just answered that I didn't have any guns in the home but the doctor recently made it very clear that the information was stored in the computer on the first visit so it doesn't matter what I say now.

Sounds like an examination room bully to me.

Has anyone else experienced this? I plan on refusing to answer and asking them to remove the information from my file next time but I'm not sure that will do any good.

I might be tempted to make up a gross exaggeration such as having added a trebuchet and a howitzer to my collection. Depending on Doc's reaction I might end up with several hundred different weapons.

[2farnorth]

I don't know why they ask that question but I wouldn't worry about it to much. It ain't a prelude to taking our guns. If it bothers you then ask the doctor why he or she ask that question. A gun of any kind is made for one reason and that is to kill, safety is first and formost.

The question is being asked by Dr.s nationwide. It's part of the automated medical information system that is being built by the AMA with incouragement and $$$ from the government. It will come back to haunt us in the future as the AMA is pushing gun control as a medical problem. Eventually you will see increased insurance rates to compensate for having guns. It's a back door to additional control.

[n5wd]

I see you are new to this forum, so WELCOME!

It's not confiscation I'm worried about, it's my insurance company using it against me that I'm worried about. Not to mention the fact that anyone who has access to their computers has my home address and knows that there are guns in the house. I go back and forth between being irritated and thinking I'm making a big deal out of nothing.

Don't forget that part of Obama-"care" is establishing a national medical information database. If is far more than just your insurance company.

Jumping Frog, you're just plain wrong on this one! The Medical Information Bureau, now known as the MIB Group http://www.mib.com/ has since 1902, been exchanging information amongst insurance companies, both life and health, regarding the vast amount of Americans who have used healthcare paid for by insurance, or have put in a life insurance claim. And, they share their information with "other consumer reporting agencies", namely the credit reporting agencies. You feel better about everyone knowing your business, now?

Obamacare finalized plans that required health care information to be computerized, but the info has been reported to the Medical Information Bureau for many decades before that.

The the OP: jlw02tx - as others have said, if you're uncomfortable with the doc, find a new pediatrician. Your doc also has a requirement to tell you what he does with that information - ask him. And don't let him just show you the HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) form that you had to sign - ask him specifically what he does with the answer to that question. If you don't like the answers, tell him you're going to find a new doc, and then do that. You might find that he's more willing to delete that info than you found, before.