Mothering › Forums › Health › Vaccinations › The Stimulus Bill and Vaccines
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

The Stimulus Bill and Vaccines  

post #1 of 82
2/11/09 at 2:10pm
Thread Starter 
The Stimulus Bill that passed the Senate yesterday contained language and funding for the computerization of medical records. Unlike the individual state vaccine registries, this program does not allow citizens to opt out. Obviously, vaccine records would be included with a person's medical history. What do you think about this plan? I guess having to decide whether to lie or not at the ER will become a moot point, as any doctor anywhere in the country will have immediate access to the patient's medical history. Does anyone think this is a good thing?

I scares me to death. I keep having visions of some government bureaucrat sitting in a cubicle with a computer screen that flashes big red flags when my kids' records are pulled up (we no longer vax or do WBC).
post #2 of 82
2/11/09 at 3:20pm
Ugh, another brilliant way the government is slowly seeking control of everything : . I don't like that idea at ALL!!
post #3 of 82
2/11/09 at 3:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mama1803 View Post
The Stimulus Bill that passed the Senate yesterday contained language and funding for the computerization of medical records. Unlike the individual state vaccine registries, this program does not allow citizens to opt out. Obviously, vaccine records would be included with a person's medical history. What do you think about this plan? I guess having to decide whether to lie or not at the ER will become a moot point, as any doctor anywhere in the country will have immediate access to the patient's medical history. Does anyone think this is a good thing?
Many states (like mine) don't allow for opt-out already.
post #4 of 82
2/11/09 at 3:49pm
I heard about this clause last nite and to be honest, my heart sank I don't want my entire medical history in a computer and definately not on a registry. I truly believe they are doing this to have more control over people rather then the ease of obtaining medical records. I also heard that there is a clause that states it is going to put more pressure on doctors to comply with certain rules. The first thing in my mind was VACCINES! Good job, Obama (and I even liked him at first)
post #5 of 82
2/11/09 at 3:54pm
Most ppl don't know that right before Bush left he signed a bill creating a database for the metabolic screening results, ( like the PKU tests that states require). Now I totally understand the PKU tests etc....... but the database I do not like. AT ALL.
To the OP , I think the same thing.
post #6 of 82
2/11/09 at 4:35pm
For the time being at least, it's not a huge deal (I think) because lots of docs still aren't fans of the electronic medical records. A national system could be funded, but not all docs (or even most, probably) are going to participate.
Now, if they start trying to mandate (or otherwise coerce) docs into participating, then that will be different.
post #7 of 82
2/11/09 at 4:37pm
Why, there'd be no way out.
post #8 of 82
2/11/09 at 4:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by claddaghmom View Post
Why, there'd be no way out.
This is what people seem to be missing. There is NO opt-out. As the legislation is written, doctors can't just choose to not participate, just like citizens can't just choose to not have their records included in this system.
post #9 of 82
2/11/09 at 4:45pm
It is terrifying!! What few rights we still have are disappearing....
post #10 of 82
2/11/09 at 4:46pm
What a great idea! Let's stimulate the economy by eliminating more jobs and putting info into a computer instead. :

I seriously don't even care anymore. I am paying close attention to the lawmakers who are aware of the hammer coming down and I don't see every right being wiped away, yet. I am all for becoming homeless and untraceable if things get that bad.
post #11 of 82
2/11/09 at 4:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by heathereyles View Post
This is what people seem to be missing. There is NO opt-out. As the legislation is written, doctors can't just choose to not participate, just like citizens can't just choose to not have their records included in this system.
Are you positive that it will force all physicians to adopt EMR?
it seems to me like the funding is to "link" everyone using EMRs.
post #12 of 82
2/11/09 at 5:01pm
You guys might be right. It looks like they are going to essentially force physicians into participation.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...d=aLzfDxfbwhzs

Quote:
New Penalties

Hospitals and doctors that are not “meaningful users” of the new system will face penalties. “Meaningful user” isn’t defined in the bill. That will be left to the HHS secretary, who will be empowered to impose “more stringent measures of meaningful use over time” (511, 518, 540-541)

What penalties will deter your doctor from going beyond the electronically delivered protocols when your condition is atypical or you need an experimental treatment?
Woah.
post #13 of 82
2/11/09 at 5:15pm
Oh marvelous, and i suppose that if I want to look at my own darn records I still won't be able to or will have to pay extortionate copy fees to get them printed.
post #14 of 82
2/11/09 at 5:18pm
Great, we have a dr shortage as it is. This is not going to help. Drs who don't want to participate will just quit. "illegals" might stop seeking treatment for fear of being in the system. We don't have poor enough health as it is? We need to make it worse?

And how exactly does this stimulate the economy?
post #15 of 82
2/11/09 at 5:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by paquerette View Post
Oh marvelous, and i suppose that if I want to look at my own darn records I still won't be able to or will have to pay extortionate copy fees to get them printed.
Well maybe if we are lucky they will allow us to pay the low, low price of $599.99 for a lifetime of computer access to our records. Like those medical sites that want $50 to view an article.
post #16 of 82
2/11/09 at 5:21pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by JesiLynne View Post
Most ppl don't know that right before Bush left he signed a bill creating a database for the metabolic screening results, ( like the PKU tests that states require). Now I totally understand the PKU tests etc....... but the database I do not like. AT ALL.
To the OP , I think the same thing.
Yes, I had heard something about the Bush legislation. I think it was part of Homeland Security. They also will be taking DNA to input into this particular database and this law allows them to do genetic testing on that DNA, no permission from the donor required.

Yet another reason to consider homebirth!!
post #17 of 82
2/11/09 at 5:28pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by angie7 View Post
I heard about this clause last nite and to be honest, my heart sank I don't want my entire medical history in a computer and definately not on a registry. I truly believe they are doing this to have more control over people rather then the ease of obtaining medical records. I also heard that there is a clause that states it is going to put more pressure on doctors to comply with certain rules. The first thing in my mind was VACCINES! Good job, Obama (and even liked him at first)
My thoughts exactly!!
post #18 of 82
2/11/09 at 5:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mamakay View Post
You guys might be right. It looks like they are going to essentially force physicians into participation.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...d=aLzfDxfbwhzs



Woah.
HOLY COW

This is what some big-wig lectured on it my university several years ago. He wanted to punish any doctors who didn't have a 100% vaccinating record.

I thought he was crazy...guess he's partying right now.
post #19 of 82
2/11/09 at 5:58pm
I don't understand, how could they put a patient's info into a system where other doctors/whoever OUTSIDE of that office could access it, without some type of signature or privacy disclosure from the patient? Isn't that what HIPPA is all about? Maybe I'm misunderstanding. Ugh.... It sounds scary though
post #20 of 82
2/11/09 at 6:16pm
This is a really good blog on the inner working of healthcare politics. It's extremely rightwing, but I think he's correct.

http://covertrationingblog.com/intro...ave-it-anymore

Quote:
To both the HMO executive and the government regulator, the answer is quite simple. Coercive pressure must be applied at the focal point of all healthcare spending - the physician-patient encounter - to force spending decisions to be made on the basis of something other than what is best for the patient.

Covert rationing requires that decisions made at the bedside be made with society’s priorities in mind, and not the patient’s.
The "policy makers" want to make healthcare cheaper on a societal level, and they have to use sort of sneaky methods to get doctors to go along with it. They say it's all about "rewarding quality care" (pay for performance incentives, for example) but what that means is "penalize docs who can't convince their patients to agree to do what the guidlines demand". The only way to get "people" to do what the policy makers think is "cost effective" is to coerce they doctors into making it happen.

Of course, it gets especially messy since there are all sorts of vested intrests who want to profit from those "guidelines" (which are really more like "commandments"). Those of us who are skeptical about those guidelines' usefulness are going to be even more of a headache to our doctors now. I think the "patient firing" thing will become even more common, probably.
Gah...
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Vaccinations
This thread is locked  
Mothering › Forums › Health › Vaccinations › The Stimulus Bill and Vaccines