Ann from Golden Valley e-mails with a follow up to my post on revealing personal information at checkups for your children:
Came across your story and noted its irony with my 2 children the week after your article came out.
Add this to your blog:
I took my 13 year old in for xrays to check for a broken hand.
After the nurse noted my child’s height, weight & reason for coming in, the nurse then turned to my 13 year old to ask, "Does anyone in your home smoke or are you exposed to second hand smoke?"
Not sure what that has to do with a broken hand.
I've also got a 15 month old.
They ask the following at each and every well-check (this is just a few questions out of about 20):
Who does the child live with?
What language(s) does your family speak?
Do you breastfeed? How often? (This question includes how many minutes on EACH breast!)
How often does your child eat meals? Snacks?
Does your car seat face forward or back?
What kind of water does your home have (city, well, etc)?
Note that the nurse was stumped on how to enter into the data system that my child both breastfeeds AND drinks water from a sippy cup.
I told my doctor I don't want my baby to have a lead test as we live in a home built after 1978.
She said that doesn't matter as lead could be in toys being that many are manufactured in China and may contain traces of lead.
I asked the doctor how many that have taken the test actually come back with lead results.
"None," she said.
By the way, if you opt to have your child tested for lead, some insurance companies will 'gift' you a $50 Target gift card & sent straight to your home.
Just their way of saying, "Thanks" for revealing your information on personal hellcare....oh, I mean, healthcare.
Again, it's easy to brush this all of as harmless data collection that only those on the paranoid fringe would be concerned with. But then you remember that the one of the government agencies with a significant role in implementing Obamacare is the IRS. And when it comes to the IRS it isn't a matter of there merely being a potential for abuse, they already have a proven track record of abusing their power. Keep quiet and carry on.
