Wednesday, August 26, 2009

HIPAA Security Social Nightmares

Facebook ™, Myspace ™, Twitter ™ and millions of web logs (“blogs”) are connecting people worldwide, and that includes your employees.

Some business organizations are using these social networks, some not, but either way it is a good bet your employees are using these sites to connect with and expand their social networks.

That can be a huge problem!

Employees used to flashing every aspect of their lives on-line are very likely to discuss work on-line as well.

Social networks sites create a huge risk for HIPAA violations, and also for employee problems (some of the comments posted can be incredibly vicious),

HIPAA is 24/7!

No, you cannot control your employees lives, EXCEPT as it relates to work.

Every health care organization should develop policies and procedures on the use of social networking sites for the broadcast of work related information. Soon.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

The Doomsday Scenario

So why are conservatives so excited about health care reform?

Many see the progressive left pushing a gradual move to the Doomsday Scenario, something like this:

1) private health insurance is hyper-regulated, underwriting standards are eliminated, and premium costs rise astronomically

2) employers, especially smaller employers, drop coverage and push employees to the “public plan”

3) the resulting dislocation of coverage and expansion of the public plan becomes a rationale for single payer – “see, we told you so.”


Having read thousands of pages of reform material over the past 18 months, and having studied the various reform movements since the early 90s, I think the Doomsday Scenario is quite feasible, and certainly I wouldn’t put it past the progressive left.

In public President Obama emphatically denies any such scenario. However, if the Scenario were to evolve, would he revert to his earlier ideas on single payer?

My request is for an honest debate. If Obama really wants to move to single payer, he should say so, and let the real debate begin.

For now, expect fireworks (not excusing rude behavior by the way).