Staying Off The Grid…Medically

 In Blog

A couple days ago, my lovely wife had a doctor’s order to get some blood work done. The doc also suggested an up and coming lab here in Orlando because they’re committed to making lab work more affordable. When it comes to health issues, there’s no reason to spare expenses. But, if there’s a way to get the same tests done for a more reasonable price? Yeah, we’re all about it.

 

When we called the lab, we got the usual phone tree. What made this interesting was the last thing the outgoing message said:

 

“If you want to stay off the grid, you can do your tests completely anonymously.”

 

Maybe it’s the company I keep, or the podcasts I listen to or whatever, but this immediately struck me as a fantastic offer to make. I personally feel there is too much encroachment into the personal lives of we Americans. Some of the people I know who are dead set against the affordable health mandate would just love this option. Frankly, I don’t have anything to hide, but if we DO get into some Orwellian society where insurance companies learn every last medical detail, I can see why some would want to have the anonymous choice.

 

Then, I gave this a little more thought. About a decade ago we came up with HIPAA, a law to keep others from knowing our health history. It’s totally a privacy thing, but like with any policy, it has it’s flaws. Mixing these two items together, I think, is a great option for patients. And, let’s think back to the 80s when HIV was the biggest fear of, well, everyone. This option at the lab provides a way for patients to know their blood work results without fear of that info becoming public record.

 

We can debate the likelihood of the privacy concerns until we’re blue in the face. I just know that, from a consumer standpoint, this lab will be getting my future business…even if I have nothing to hide.

 

 

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