How would you like to find MISLEADING or FALSE information on your own Medical Records?

How about a prescription for some unknown Psychiatric Medication, sent from one physician to another - about you - without informing you, the "PATIENT" about such a prescription after you scheduled your visit due to massive chest pains?

What do "chest pains" and Clinical Trial Psychiatric medications have to do with one another? Nothing.

This type of misleading information and possible "Fraud" can severely injure or even KILL YOU.  Overnight, you go from being a "Patient" to being a "VICTIM".

Medical records are created when you receive treatment from a health professional such as a physician, nurse, dentist, chiropractor, or psychiatrist. Records may include your medical history, details about your lifestyle (such as smoking or involvement in high-risk sports), and family medical history.

There are Medical Records for EVERY class "type" of Medical visit, including Chiropractors, Wellness, Womens Health, General Medical, etc.

In addition, your medical records contain laboratory test results, medications prescribed, and reports that indicate the results of operations and other medical procedures. Your records could also include the results of genetic testing used to predict your future health. And they might include information about your participation in research projects.

Information you provide on applications for disability, life or accidental insurance with private insurers or government programs can also become part of your medical file.

Your medical information is shared by a wide range of people both in and out of the health care industry.  Generally, access to your records is obtained when you agree to let others see them. In reality, you may have no choice but to agree to the sharing of your health information if you want to obtain care and qualify for insurance. 

Insurance companies usually require you to release your records before they will issue a policy or make payment under an existing policy. This is especially true if you apply for individual health insurance as opposed to a group health plan available through your employer.

Government agencies may request your medical records to verify claims made through Medicare, MediCal, Social Security Disability, and Workers Compensation.

The Medical Information Bureau (MIB) is a central database of medical information shared by insurance companies. Approximately 15 million Americans and Canadians are on file in the MIB's computers. About 600 insurance firms use the services of the MIB primarily to obtain information about life insurance and individual health insurance policy applicants.When you apply for life or health insurance as an individual, you are likely to be asked to provide information about your health. Sometimes you are required to be examined by a doctor and/or to have your blood and urine tested. If you have medical conditions that insurance companies consider significant, the insurance company will report that information to the MIB.The information contained in a typical MIB record is limited to codes for specific medical conditions and lifestyle choices. Examples include codes to indicate high blood pressure, asthma, diabetes, or depression. A code can signify participation in high-risk sports such as skydiving. A file would also include a code to indicate that the individual smokes cigarettes. The MIB uses 230 such codes.

IntelliScript and MedPoint are databases that report prescription drug purchase histories to insurance companies. Like the MIB reports, IntelliScript and MedPoint reports are used primarily when consumers are seeking private health, life or disability insurance. Prescription drug databases can go back as far as five years, detailing drugs used as well as dosage and refills.

With a history of prescription drugs in hand, insurers may make assumptions about medical conditions and assess the risk of writing an insurance policy. Information in an IntelliScript or MedPoint report may prompt an insurer to deny coverage for certain conditions, increase insurance premiums, or deny coverage altogether. Such adverse actions by insurance companies trigger a sequence of consumer rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

Individuals who have applied for individual health, life or disability insurance may also request a copy of any prescription report directly from MedPoint or IntelliScript. Reports are available once a year whether or not there has been an adverse decision by an insurance company.

Employers usually obtain medical information about their employees by asking employees to authorize disclosure of medical records. This can occur in several ways not covered by HIPAA. Unfortunately, the laws in only a few states require employers to establish procedures to keep employee medical records confidential. (For example, California Civil Code §56.)

A potential employer may ask for medical information as part of an employment background check, with limitations.

Employers may not ask job applicants about medical information or require a physical examination prior to offering employment.

After employment is offered, an employer can only ask for a medical examination if it is required of all employees holding similar jobs.

If you are turned down for work based on the results of a medical examination, the employer must prove that it is physically impossible for you to do the work required.

Your medical records may be subpoenaed for court cases. If you are involved in litigation, an administrative hearing, or a worker's compensation hearing and your medical condition is an issue, the relevant parts of your medical record MAY be copied and introduced in court. Whether or not some or all of your medical information is deemed "relevant" may depend on the judge or skill of the attorneys involved.

In addition, law enforcement officials may receive protected health information in other situations such as an instance of abuse, a death, a gunshot or stabbing. (They may not access your personal medical records for Personal Interest & FRAUD)

The federal law on medical privacy, HIPAA, went into effect in 2003. For the first time, federal law established standards for patient privacy in all 50 states, including the right of patients to access to their own records. The stronger laws already in effect in the states were not weakened. Although HIPAA provides some protection, it is not the final answer to medical records privacy.

It is estimated that 1,529,560 men and women (789,620 men and 739,940 women) will be diagnosed with and 569,490 men and women will die of cancer of all sites in 2010.

This is only a small picture of the types of visits people make to see physicians at Medical Facilities and Hospitals, including Dental offices.

What does this mean to you?

When was the last time YOU or ANYONE you know received a copy of your own Medical Record File within 1-2 weeks of your visit?

The answer? Probably, NEVER.

There are Electronic Medical Billing software, electronic Medical record systems, in fact most all Medical Facilities and Hospitals including Private Physicians USE electronic systems to store Medical Records in their facilities and online for their use.

What does that do for you, the Patient? NOTHING.

How does that help you identify possible Errors in your Medical Record file? It doesn't.

How can anyone identify "errors" or information never informed to them by the physician if they never received a copy of their medical file in the first place?

The only way for consumers "Patients" to be informed of what their Medical Records contain is by actually being issued a copy of the file itself, by the Medical Provider.

One can request a copy - but surely people are lead to believe that "Doctors", "Nurses" and "Health care Professionals" are ALWAYS working in the Patients best interest.

However, that is not always the case.

If you don't have your own Medical Records information in your hands, who does?

Do you really trust others with your Medical Records without seeing them for yourself first?

World Privacy Forum estimates that anywhere from 250,000 to 500,000 Americans have been victims of Medical Identity Theft.

So, how do you go about doing some of your own FRAUD MONITORING of your own Personal Medical Information? You dont.

Not until those RECORDS are in your hands. The hands of the Patient, not the hands of the medical assistant who is working the front office, writing whatever the Physician tells them - which could very well be a lie, misrepresented, false, fraud, inconsistent with facts, inconsistent with previous visits elsewhere, inconsistent with anything you advised the very physician you are visiting.

Remember, the more physicians you visit - the more information you the PATIENT, must verify as being correct Medical information.

If the information presented in your medical file is incorrect, that could lead to your next evaluation being incorrect, your prescription (if there is one) being incorrect, your overall official file - being INCORRECT.

WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN?  It happens due to FRAUD, WASTE, ABUSE & NEGLIGENCE.

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The AMA American Medical Association publishes the Code of Medical Ethics: Current Opinions with Annotations, 2010-2011.

The more YOU know these ETHICS, the easier it is for you to identify when your Physician is NOT following the ETHICS rules which apply to THEM. The very rules, that justify them holding a "Medical License".

Have you ever checked the local Library to see if they carry this book? Most do not.  This book, which carries the Medical Ethic Rules is so obscure on the public shelves - it will make you wonder.....

The Code of Medical Ethics: Current Opinions with Annotations 2010 is the most comprehensive ethics guide available for physicians. The definitive authority on medical professionalism, this resource defines the essentials of honorable behavior for every physician.

Medical ethics is a branch of ethics which pertains to medical practice. It is sometimes viewed as part of the larger field of bioethics, which concerns ethics in the sciences, and is closely related with nursing ethics and others areas of ethics which intersect with medical practice. Going beyond the physical practice of medicine, medical ethics also includes business and financial ethics as well as general ethical issues such as how to treat fellow human beings when they are in need.  The practice of medicine is designed to promote wellness.

Medical ethics also includes issues such as doctor- patient confidentiality, the need for informed consent among patients, and basic standards of behavior around patients.

The number of people with health insurance decreased from 255.1 million in 2008 to 253.6 million in 2009.  Between 2008 and 2009, the number of people covered by private health insurance decreased from 201.0 million to 194.5 million, while the number covered by government health insurance climbed from 87.4 million to 93.2 million. The number covered by employment-based health insurance declined from 176.3 million to 169.7 million. The number with Medicaid coverage increased from 42.6 million to 47.8 million.

1 Million signatures is a small request, in comparison to the combined number of people who are insured. Everyone needs their Medical Records - and that number is HUGE.

Sign the petition urging your Representative to create a Patient Health Care & Medical Records Act which requires the Health Care industry to provide "Patients" with a copy of their Medical File within a reasonable time frame following the visit. 1-2 WEEKS following the visit.

We obviously can't leave it to the Medical Practitioners, Staff and their facilities to provide timely Medical Records to each visiting Patient with factual information - if you cant see the information within a reasonable amount of time following your medical visit. People will be much safer knowing the contents of their Medical File.

There are many different Health Care Programs and Providers out there, and regardless of the one you choose, there is only ONE of YOU.