N.Y. Adopts Code to Monitor Diabetics

[deminks]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051215/ap_on_he_me/tracking_diabetes

NEW YORK - Hoping to save hundreds of lives, New York adopted a health code regulation Wednesday that will make it the first American city to keep track of people with diabetes in much the same way it does with patients infected with HIV or tuberculosis.

The policy breaks new ground because it involves the collection of information about people who have a disease that is neither contagious nor caused by an environmental toxin. It has also raised privacy concerns in some quarters.

Under a revised city code passed by the Board of Health, most medical laboratories in New York will be required to electronically forward the results of thousands of blood-sugar tests to the city Health Department, which will then analyze the data to identify people having trouble controlling their diabetes.

Some patients might then get letters or phone calls from their doctors, prodding them to take medication, come in more frequently for checkups, or change their diet.

Oh my god. This could be so not good.

[Deja Q]

1. Sieg heil, this is disturbing indeed. Health care costs have 0 to do with

it. Health care companies NEED us to buy their products. That's how they maintain their obese profits.

Government has no right WHATSOEVER to tell us how to live.

Wait, government has already been exterminated; we have folks telling us how to live. And that's not living at all. Especially for those of us who can't get a life. :)

[afdip]

2. there is a link between type 2 diabetes and dioxin exposure . . .

even the veterans administration now admits to the link between agent orange exposure (in vietnam veterans) and type 2 diabetes. so, not true about the evironmental toxin statement.

[berni_mccoy]

3. My son has diabetes. I can see good and bad in this

The good: parents who are having difficulty controlling their children's diabetes (either through natural challenge or neglect) will get more attention for their children than they would otherwise. I know some people that could use help to get better control for their children. The complications that will result from bad control are so severe that this may be warrented.

The bad: the state knows more about individuals and this will definitely add costs to the state. However, if the costs of this system are cheaper than the costs of dealing with the complications from poor control (blindness, kidney failure, heart disease, neuropothy, etc), then it would be worth it financially to the state to take action.

And a couple of notes to the O.P. and posters above:

1. We don't know what causes type 1 diabetes. It's part genes and part environmental (and we don't know if it's artificial or natural environmental cause).
2. People with diabetes ALREADY NEED to buy SO MANY healthcare products JUST TO LIVE that I doubt that companies wanting to make MORE money off this group of people ever was remotely an issue. Would you like to see our medical bills?

I have to disagree with the concerns of some of the posters above.

[Lerkfish]

4. since I'm a diabetic, I'm disturbed by this.

I don't even like my doctor to tell me what to do concerning my diabetic care.

[berni_mccoy]

5. You can opt out of the program: The O.P. should have included this

Frieden said people skittish about their privacy will be allowed to opt out of the program. Details on how that would work, however, are still being developed.

[Lerkfish]

12. sure, but the details aren't worked out yet...riiiiiiiiight.

that comforts me.

[berni_mccoy]

6. TWO KEY POINTS from the article:

1. You can opt out of the program
2. Diabetes is the 4th leading cause of death in N.Y.

[IDemo]

7. I've had Type 1 for 43 years, and don't personally feel I need a nanny

Sorry, but it's one thing for a government to order nutritional information placed on food packages, or to attempt to better the general public's health through smoking restrictions, etc. But to track personal medical information, whether blood glucose, blood pressure, cholesterol, is frankly inappropriate, and probably verges on unconstitutional.

I, my medical doctor, and my meter have the situation under control.

[walldude]

8. I don't like this one bit

"Under a revised city code passed by the Board of Health, most medical laboratories in New York will be required to electronically forward the results of thousands of blood-sugar tests to the city Health Department, which will then analyze the data to identify people having trouble controlling their diabetes."

The key word here being "required". Apparently you can opt out but thats freakin backwords. It should be that you can "opt-in" if you want. To require a lab to send test results without express prior written consent smells illegal to me.

[IDemo]

9. Exactly. "opt-out" is one of the more maddening concepts of modern life

[deminks]

10. Thank you.

I absolutely agree that you should have to opt in if you want help with your diabetes control.

There are so many abuses that could come from this. What is the goal here? "Your blood sugar will be under 75 or else?" Seems sort of threatening. IMHO.

[IDemo]

11. Hell, I'm actually all for socialized medicine, really.

But there is a sharp dividing line between universal health care and the City of New York or any other governmental agency presuming to 'safeguard' me against myself. This idea is, however well intentioned, nutty.