Pediatricians asking parents about gun ownership

[chasfm11]

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.

I've carefully reviewed every piece of information that is on our credit bureau reports and can find nothing that looks like any of this data. Does that mean that the three credit agencies are deliberately withholding data that they collect about me?

Maybe I've missed it but who is responsible for the doctors being required to ask the question? The insurance company that covers the doctor? The medical insurance companies that cover the patients? Some governmental mandate? I cannot believe that doctors do this without prompting from someone.

We've taken our granddaughter in for treatment several times and have never been asked a question like this. So either both of the pediatricians that we visited with her were not complying or we just look like the "firearms types." If they had asked, I'd probably have said "yes and I cling to my religion, too."

[VMI77]

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

Some of those options are going to disappear if the Nanny State continues to grow.....eventually they'll make it a crime not to answer or to give a false response.

[2farnorth]

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.

I asked and found that they did not really know what it's being used for. All they said is "it's part of the NEW reporting requirements for the automated system". But they also said "you don't have to answer questions that you don't feel comfortable with" YET. It won't be long before the negative answer will be assumed to be a YES. One specialist I went to had the gun ownership questions cross out.

[VMI77]

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.

I've carefully reviewed every piece of information that is on our credit bureau reports and can find nothing that looks like any of this data. Does that mean that the three credit agencies are deliberately withholding data that they collect about me?

Maybe I've missed it but who is responsible for the doctors being required to ask the question? The insurance company that covers the doctor? The medical insurance companies that cover the patients? Some governmental mandate? I cannot believe that doctors do this without prompting from someone.

We've taken our granddaughter in for treatment several times and have never been asked a question like this. So either both of the pediatricians that we visited with her were not complying or we just look like the "firearms types." If they had asked, I'd probably have said "yes and I cling to my religion, too."

The American Academy of Pediatrics is behind it and is a radical left wing socialist organization pushing gun confiscation, and as with all collectivists, they lie ..... http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/c ... 4/888.full

This statement reaffirms the 1992 position of the American Academy of Pediatrics that the absence of guns from children's homes and communities is the most reliable and effective measure to prevent firearm-related injuries in children and adolescents. A number of specific measures are supported to reduce the destructive effects of guns in the lives of children and adolescents, including the regulation of the manufacture, sale, purchase, ownership, and use of firearms; a ban on handguns and semiautomatic assault weapons; and expanded regulations of handguns for civilian use. In addition, this statement reviews recent data, trends, prevention, and intervention strategies of the past 5 years.

The widely publicized estimates of the number of defensive gun uses in the millions each year are not credible.51

Several legal reviews emphasize that the Second Amendment does not protect an individual's gun ownership. Two cases,Presser v Illinois and United States v Miller, have established the meaning of the Second Amendment.59,,60These and later federal court rulings have indicated that the “right” to bear arms is linked to the preservation of state militias and is not intended to provide for an individual's right to own a firearm. The federal government could ban whole categories of firearms, such as handguns and assault weapons

Pediatricians and other child health care professionals are urged to inform parents about the dangers of guns in and outside the home. The AAP recommends that pediatricians incorporate questions about guns into their patient history taking and urge parents who possess guns to remove them, especially handguns, from the home.

2.  The AAP urges that guns be subject to safety and design regulations, like other consumer products, as well as tracing.

(Trigger locks, lock boxes, and other safe storage legislation are encouraged by the AAP, until guns are fully removed from the environment of children.

---in other words, they're seeking a gun ban.

5.  The AAP urges that a coordinated, comprehensive, national surveillance data system be maintained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as the National Center for Health Statistics.

[harrycallahan]

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.

I think this is fake!

[Katygunnut]

I'd ask the Pediatrician whether they have any pornographic images in their possession (including on their computer, etc), and also whether they use any legal or illegal drugs. These questions are much more relevant to my childs health than whether or not I keep any guns in the house.

[J.R.@A&M]

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.

Yes, just last week during our kiddo's wellness check. The specific question was whether there were any loaded guns in the house. My wife answered no; I didn't elaborate.

[J.R.@A&M]

"This statement reaffirms the 1992 position of the American Academy of Pediatrics that the absence of guns from children's homes and communities is the most reliable and effective measure to prevent firearm-related injuries in children and adolescents."

Just like the absence of acetominophen from children's homes and communities is the most reliable and effective measure to prevent overdosing on Tylenol.

[jason237m]

I have taken my young one (2 yrs old) to her doc many times and we have never been asked this question. I guess it just varies from doc to doc.

[C-dub]

I just thought of another fun answer to this question.

"Not at the moment."

And then just watch the wheels turn and see where that takes them.

[Jim Beaux]

Just so happened to have visited my GP this week and his nurse pulled out her lap top and went through intrusive questions such as "do I wear seat belts?" I dont remember all the questions, but I refused to answer and asked her what was up. She said it was because of obama care and my doc would get dinged if I refused to answer.

Later a friend told me about a federal judge blocking a Florida law restricting doctors from inquiring about guns. I checked it out with Scopes. Sounds like another lib brady bunch scheme. I suggest these pediatricians be told to take a long walk on a short pier when they try to "protect children from unsecured guns in the household"

http://www.snopes.com/politics/guns/medicare.asp

[DEB]

Here in the Killeen/Copperas Cove area I had never seen a 30.06 sign, not saying there weren't any, just had never seen one, until recently that is. I went to my Doctor, he used to have an old gun buster sign that was on the window even before he moved in, but now he has a 30.06 sign posted inside the clinic. Today, I went to Scott & White in Temple at one of the clinics and it now has a 30.06 sign posted. I haven't questioned my Doctor or any other areas about the new proliferation of these signs; but with what ya'll are being asked and the new signage, perhaps these are being pushed by the AMA? My kids have homes of their own, so I haven't been exposed to pediatricians, especially civilian ones in a very long time and I have a problem with enjoying talking about firearms. So,if I was asked, I would assume he/she was just striking up a conversation about firearms and I would quickly get into the details of my love of firearms, types and etc. I am afraid I would get owned by a Gestapo type of person pretty quickly. Aw well... I am scared for my children and their children where honesty will no longer be the best policy.

[alvins]

i know at my last job several of our doctors carried guns.one of our docs carried at all times no matter what.we didnt have any restriction on carrying guns other then we have to have a 1 million dollar insurance policy.though im not aware of all the questions i wouldnt suprised.

[brentski]

I went to my family physician that we have used for 15 years now for my annual physical. At the beginning of the exam I had to fill out a questionnaire that was provided by his supporting hospital that asked if I felt safe at home, and if not why. No gun questions but a first step maybe.

[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?

I've carefully reviewed every piece of information that is on our credit bureau reports and can find nothing that looks like any of this data. Does that mean that the three credit agencies are deliberately withholding data that they collect about me?

I honestly don't know the answer to that question, but can tell you that only one of the three credit bureaus had anything about medical stuff on our credit report, and that was a disputed charge with a physician's lab years ago that the physician sent to collections while we were going into arbitration about it (and he got sanctioned by the arbiter for that move). It just shows that the account had gone into arbitration - doesn't mention the money amount or anything like that. It may be that the bureaus are only interested in some of the info that they have available from MIB, but the quote was directly from their web site in the information for insurance consumers.