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Showing posts from December, 2013

Should HIPAA Compliance Guard All Protected Medical Information?

Everyone is familiar with the acronym HIPAA, which is the 1996 edict called the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.  Isn’t that a smooth and melodious name? These are rules & regs that are designed to protect your confidential protected medical information.  I support the mission.  I don’t think that your medical records should be deliberately or inadvertently shared with those who are not lawfully permitted to view them.  Medical charts (remember when there were medical charts?) should not be left open on the counter. A physician should not yell to front desk personnel within earshot of others to give the patient a psychiatric referral. Elevators are not proper venues to have medical discussions about specific patients. Medical information should not be disclosed to inquiring friends and family without permission. I maintain that HIPAA has been OperationOVERKILL for many physicians and staff.  Keep in mind that doctors, at least in my generation,

Whistleblower Holiday Cheer 2013!

Jingle bells, Jingle bells, Sebelius in her role, Oh what fun it is to see Her bringing us some coal. Obamacare, If you dare, The website has a glitch Fox News ratings - out of sight! While Dems are in the ditch. Here a tweak, there a tweak, Mad Obama fans, When he said a hundred times “You can keep your plan.” Here’s a clue, From me to you Just a little trick, To help survive Obamacare You’d better not get sick! Wishing you Joy and Peace

Physician Fee Schedule 2014 Uses Frequent Flier Model

Whistleblower readers know that I have spewed some vitriol toward the airline industry, where customer service goes to die.  Indeed, in a prior post I contrasted their routine harassment of frequent fliers with the individualized stroking that Apple customers routinely receive.   For sarcastic scriveners like me, the airlines are the gift that keeps on giving.  The target is so large that one can hit it from miles away with a blindfold on at night. Fun, fun, fun... Some, but now all, sources of customer angst include: The convenience and rationality of the TSA process (“Out with those dentures, Granny!”) The sumptuous meals served aboard. (“Exact change for the pretzels is appreciated.”) The plush and spacious seats which easily accommodate those with BMIs < 18 On-time performance (Do we really know what time is?) Truthfulness with regard to the occasional flight delay  (Pinocchio would nasally impale customers if he worked as a gate agent.) The simplicity and p

Disaster Obamacare Rollout Rolling Over A Cliff

I can’t add much meaningful commentary to the Obamacare roll out disaster.  There has been a deserved tsunami of criticism and derision across the political spectrum.  Democrats are sprinting for the exits.  Many of them in their last campaign repeated the sound bite of 2013, “If you want to keep your doctor…”.  Of course, without the miracle of video tape, these obfuscators would simply deny their own words.  The disaster rollout is a travesty on so many levels.   We should not forgive any institution that produces an abject failure after 3 years of preparation and nearly $600 million when they have been crowing for months about the October 1 st start date.  It did start something, but not what the government wanted.   More incredible is that the government was told by experts prior to the launch that the website was not even half baked, and yet they rolled it out anyway.  Is there any reader who can explain this decision to me?   If we knew that a plane had mechanical defects,

Thanksgiving, Pausing to Say Thanks...

To everything, there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven. Ecclesiastes It’s time to pause and offer gratitude for the blessings that have been bestowed upon us. Roman Goddess with Cornucopia We are thankful that our insurance coverage has not yet been cancelled. We are appreciative for websites that work as promised. We are grateful when our personal approval rating is above 50%. We acclaim the president for his interim deal with the Iranians, a government that supports Bashar Al Assad, funds Hezbollah and refers to Israel as a rabid dog. We offer Hosannas to Democrats Dianne Feinstein, Harry Reid, Barbara Boxer, Joe Biden and Barack Obama who were all vehemently against dismantling the Senate’s filibuster rule until they were for it. Diverging from sardonicism, I hope that all enjoyed a Thanksgiving holiday filled with mirth and laughter in the presence of loved ones.  To those who find themselves in one of life’s valleys, I hope that brigh