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Top-level
@BenAveling @Jennifer There are no medical devices involved. They said they only willing to communicate, schedule, and exchange medical information with patients with their apple/google mobile app moving forward, even if it means terminating relationships with existing patients. I even offered to show up in person for every communication, and they refused. 37 comments
@lrvick @BenAveling @Jennifer 1 in 3 seniors does not even own a smartphone. I don't understand how this could be even economically feasible, let alone legal. What's the company?  @neilk @lrvick @BenAveling @Jennifer Iām old but was a software engineer for Apple products so live on my iPhone (like now). But parents & in-laws could never use any mobile phone, either to keep it charged or dial with the tiny keypad, much less use a smartphone. Medical providers have to accommodate such people, or tell the world theyāre not going to care for elderly people š @PenguinToot @neilk @lrvick @BenAveling @Jennifer I'm assuming elderly people are more expensive customers, as a health provider. From a stricly financial point of view, a measure that allows you to discriminate them while calling it a technical limitation sounds quite tempting. (no idea whether it's legal or not anywhere, tho, but it's certainly very questionable ethically)  @PenguinToot @neilk @lrvick @BenAveling @Jennifer No medicine-for-profit company wants old people with their measly Medicare reimbursements and lots of chronic illnesses. Better to get the cases of tennis elbow paid for by employer plans. If they can be made to exit the rolls simply by requiring use of a mobile phone, that's cost savings that goes right to the CEO's Ivory Backscratcher fund. @RealGene Both probably are factors in this move. The only thing for certain is that medical care is not at all about care anymore. @RealGene @neilk @lrvick @BenAveling @Jennifer Daughter works for her state health insurers, visits lonely elderly to be sure theyāre getting medical care, phones physicians as necessary to arrange visits, etc. But sheās one of few people who do this, clearly more will be needed as the population ages. At least Medicare is functioning for her clients. @RealGene @neilk @PenguinToot @BenAveling @lrvick @Jennifer Iām sure that they consider dumping elderly and indigent patients a feature, and not a bug. @PenguinToot @neilk @lrvick @BenAveling @Jennifer The thing is.. your medical insurers are in it for the profit and nothing else. Over here there is a legal requirement to provide insurance to everybody, and thus to accomodate people who can't or won't use smart phones. They cannot refuse people or pre-existing conditions or for (for instance) a condition that makes using a smartphone impossible, like old age or beginning dementia. @neilk @lrvick @BenAveling @Jennifer older people are less healthy = more costly for healthcare providers, if this "excuse" goes through they'll start doing it on purpose.   @neilk @lrvick @BenAveling @Jennifer It might be intentional, to whittle down their patient base to people who are younger and less likely to be on medicare/medicaid.  @neilk @lrvick @BenAveling @Jennifer yep my neighbors boyfriend has one so he helps her but I also help her out. She had to take an ambulance a couple months ago and the only way to pay the bill is either by mail or online. The post office is still broken, it will never be fixed again, so she didnāt want to mail it. That and she needs to have her receipt for her Deduction of medical expenses from her rent and she wasnāt sure she would get a receipt back that way.  @lrvick @BenAveling @Jennifer There isnāt even a suitable web experience? (Putting aside that even that isnāt good enough of course), itās installed app or bust? Thatās crazy. @philip @BenAveling @Jennifer We asked this, and they said webapp was not an option. Android/Apple device/app or GTFO. @lrvick @philip @BenAveling @Jennifer That's disgusting. I'm so sorry. My providers have web portals but don't require you to use any of it. They're trying to root out the patients they won't get as much from. This sucks, because others will start if they see it working.  That is NUTS. There's no logical or technological reason for such a decision. jfc... š  @lrvick @BenAveling that is so unethical! Might be a long shot, but send an email to the Verge and Ars Technica. They cover all kinds of tech news and have big audiences. @nilay_patel is on here but don't know how active he is. @lrvick sorry youāre dealing w this. if this is in the US - providers can not discriminate based on sex, race, and ethnicity. Beyond that they can pick and choose patients at their discretion. Your local newspaper and news station might be interested to hear. I wonder if this could be argued that it creates a monopoly. Orgs/companies like AARP, Jitterbug, your email provider would/could help fight. Actually ACA added gender and age to non- discrimination clause for any Federal program (ACA/ Medicare/ Medicaid).  You haven't said which country you are based in, but under USA law, UK law, and EU law, it's called "tying" and is illegal under the anti-monopoly legislation. This is one of the things that the #FAANG 's are being sued over right now. :D Matt Stoller would be able to point you to someone who could help. Also, under UK law, there's disability accessibility requirements, hence the req's for a web interface for the NHS systems. Cory Doctorow is another person who would be able to point you to someone who could help.  @lrvick Terrible. I'm seeing more and more health providers and other businesses trying really hard to get people to install & use apps and I just won't do it. š¤¬ @BenAveling @Jennifer  @Nonya_Bidniss @lrvick @BenAveling @Jennifer My health insurer keeps nagging me to visit their portal for reasons. No. @Nonya_Bidniss @lrvick @BenAveling @Jennifer It's also worth remembering that most of the mobile apps are just a html/web interface which uses a click-agreement wrap-around, so they can't be legally reverse-engineered, so security through obscurity. The bonus for the service providers is that they can require the mandated use of arbitration rather than the courts through any changes in the ToS agreements. Don't agree, and you don't get to use the service.  @BillySmith @Nonya_Bidniss @lrvick @BenAveling @Jennifer This is a big point that @pluralistic is often on about, that these āappsā are merely HTML wrappers that allow them to evade standard security, ToS, etc. I am glad you called Bs on this! @cyberlyra @Nonya_Bidniss @lrvick @BenAveling @Jennifer @pluralistic They're using the DMCA legislation in exactly the way that was warned about when the DMCA laws were being written. So... they're using a third party app to keep customer data safe? Or is this an in house app by the medical provider... Either way I'm sure that app provider has nothing but the most top notch security in place, and this totally wont end up biting them in the ass.   |
Gregory's Server
@lrvick This is infuriating! I'm so sorry you are dealing with this shit. š