Loss of Privacy

So, last week, the teabaggers had a little rally in Washington.  Unfortunately, not only are they racist bastards, they don’t even know what the hell they are protesting about.

Watch this video, then read the analysis of what’s really going on.

…approximately four and a half minutes into the talk, Gates declares, “First we got population. The world today has 6.8 billion people. That’s headed up to about 9 billion. Now if we do a really great job on new vaccines, health care, reproductive health services, we lower that by perhaps 10 or 15 percent.” (author’s emphasis).

Congressman Alan Grayson started naming all the people who have died in each Republican district because they had no health insurance. The Republicans freaked out, got the House to adjourn, and attempted to have the record stricken. The more I hear of this guy, the more I like him.

Kaiser Permanente, a health-care provider based in Oakland, California is set to implement a massive gene database to research environmental and genetic causes of disease.

Researchers will be able to study the data and seek insights into the interplay between genes, the environment, and disease, thanks to access to detailed electronic health records, patient surveys, and even records of environmental conditions where the patients live and work.

“The importance of this project is that it will, almost overnight–well, in two years–produce a very large amount of genetic and phenotypic data that a large number of investigators and scientists can begin asking questions of, rather than having to gather data first,” Schaefer says.

The effort will make use of existing saliva samples taken from California patients, whose average age is 65. Their DNA will be analyzed for 700,000 genetic variations called single-nucleotide polymorphisms, or SNPs, using array analysis technology from Affymetrix in Santa Clara, CA. Through the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the resulting information will be available to other researchers, along with a trove of patient data including patients’ Kaiser Permanente electronic health records, information about the air and water quality in their neighborhoods, and surveys about their lifestyles.

While scientists should be commended for researching diseases, their causes and possible cures, there lies a risk of losing health coverage when this becomes the norm.  It will be near impossible to prevent insurance companies from looking at your data and denying coverage or vital surgeries because of possible risk factors.

There is some questionable wording included in the new health care bill [pdf] that really needs to be clarified before this bill passes and becomes a law.

The committee’s official summary of the bill says: “Authorizes a demonstration program to improve immunization coverage. Under this program, CDC will provide grants to states to improve immunization coverage of children, adolescents, and adults through the use of evidence-based interventions. States may use funds to implement interventions that are recommended by the Community Preventive Services Task Force, such as reminders or recalls for patients or providers, or home visits.”

The program authorizing home “interventions” to promote immunizations falls under “Subtitle C: Creating Healthier Communities.”  This subtitle directs the secretary of health and human services to “establish a demonstration program to award grants to states to improve the provision of recommended immunizations for children, adolescents, and adults through the use of evidence-based, population-based interventions for high-risk populations.”

The bill lists eight specific ways that states may use federal grant money to carry out immunization-promoting “interventions.” Method “E” calls for “home visits” which can include “provision of immunizations.”

Says the draft bill: “Funds received under a  grant under this subsection shall be used to implement interventions that are recommended by the Task Force on Community Preventive Services (as established by the secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) or other evidence-based interventions, including—“(A) providing immunization reminders or recalls for target populations of clients, patients, and consumers; (B) educating targeted populations and health care providers concerning immunizations in combination with one or more other interventions; (C) reducing out-of-pocket costs for families for vaccines and their administration; (D) carrying out immunization-promoting strategies for participants or clients of public programs, including assessments of immunization status, referrals to health care providers, education, provision of on-site immunizations, or incentives for immunization;(E) providing for home visits that promote immunization through education, assessments of need, referrals, provision of immunizations, or other services; (F) providing reminders or recalls for immunization providers;(G) conducting assessments of, and providing feedback to, immunization providers; or (H) any combination of one or more interventions described in this paragraph.”

I don’t know exactly where this is going, but I just have to say, “Fuck you and stay the fuck out of my house. I understand that “home visits” could mean anything, but you’re not coming in my home unless you want to be shot.”