Holy s**t.

That this kind of thing could happen should be in a sticky thread. People should know
that it might be smart to consult their doctor but specifically *not* ask for a prescription,
provision meds "privately", and be careful not to leave a paper trail.

Figured this would be a good thread to post the following info: The Medical Insurance Bureau (MIB) is a nationwide "specialty" consumer reporting agency that maintains records on medical conditions of approximately 20% of consumers. Members of MIB send it information on significant medical conditions as part of their underwriting process for life, health, disability, or long term care insurance. Members may check the information in a consumer's application for insurance against information provided by MIB. You can get a free copy of your MIB record once each year by calling 866-692-6901. You'll be required to provide identification information, which MIB may validate. You may dispute inaccurate information in your record by writing MIB, Inc. P.O. Box 105, Essex Station, Boston, MA 02112. General information on MIB is available at http://www.mib.com.

Thank you for this info.

Looks like MIB is subject to the same rules as credit-reporting agencies. I for one am going to get my free report and mark my calendar to do that annually. I did a little homework and just learned MIB is not the only Big Brother reporting agency -- They're there for prescriptions, and all sorts of other stuff. Here's a VERY informative article:
http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs6b-SpecReports.htm#5

Looks like we have the right to many free reports. Also looks like Big Brother is more pervasive than many of us could have imagined.

Bob -- Your are taking this better than I would. I am so sorry you have to experience this.

I've read that most jurisdictions require anyone on probation for an alcohol-related offense to attend AA meetings regularly. I detest this -- not because I disapprove of AA per se, but because it so interferes with the right we supposedly have to make medical decisions for ourselves. I vaguely recall years ago the Scientology-based treatment sued to try to have their substance-abuse treatment method be approved for court-ordered treatment (sweating, nutritional supps, etc) and basically got laughed out of court for want of scientific study demonstrating efficacy. I think the ACLU would take up a suit to advocate for a person being allowed to select a course of treatment with scientific backing. It's about a right we all cherish: Privacy in our personal affairs, including medical decisions.

I hope it doesn't come to that for any of us.

Well, my psychiatrist filled out the Florida State form very well on his own. He states that I became sober on my own, never mentions Naltrexone, states that I only drank at home at night and have no DUI's. Then recommends vehemently that I should have my driving "privilege". I think it will be OK.

I noticed on the back of one of the papers sent with the form that anyone can report any driver as a risk to the State of Florida. Then, they'll send out the form.

Florida has some odd laws like this. There is a law known as "The Baker Act", for instance. Anybody can have anybody else committed for psychiatric observation, often over disagreements or retribution. It is often an abused law. Here's a one group's summary of this law and problems with it:

The Baker Act, also known as the "Florida Mental Health Act of 1971", stands as a challenge to the humane and morally decent treatment of a diverse set of people who suffer from supposed "mental illness" - with the last decade's recent focus on the "clinically" depressed, and individuals who are lonely, seeking acceptance, grieving, in an abusive situation, or even simply in a difficult place in life.

Recently, the Baker Act has been identified to abuse its power, as just about anyone can "Baker Act" just about anyone. As well, those individuals who are labeled as "depressed" or "in need of treatment" and subjected to the act by this obscurely anonymous jury are subjected to immediate arrest, detainment, and observation for days, written in the State Legislature as "a maximum of 72 hours for observation", which is often neglected and abused.

Anyway, back to my problem, the Florida Driver License department can get information from anyone or from any source to initiate the "you must prove you are competent to drive" form.

I'll keep everyone informed as things slowly progress.

Bob

Well there goes HIPPA!!!

This is what i fear with the digitizing of all our medical records.

Look, I do not know what any of your political beliefs are but this is one of the reasons i am totally terrorfied of a government run health system. How can you have any expectation of privacy once the government is in control of your medical records??

I have gotten my Naltrexone in the wide open. Like you, I have never had any doings with the law. When will I be called up?

This is truly frightening.

keep fighting the good fight, brother.

at least your doctor is willing to go to bat for you.

I am concerned about privacy issues and governmental intrusion. However, I am much more alarmed by the current unregulated system which permits discrimination against pre-existing conditions, something proponents of reform are trying to outlaw.

Remind me not to move to Florida...but it's more than that which is so much scarier. The thing is, getting these meds thru insurance is so much CHEAPER than online. My 60 pills cost me $10/mo. Of course rethinking the "at what price" argument. But if I go on BAC, I guess that is different, except I am seeing an addiction specialist thru my insurance provider.

I hope this doesn't come back to bite me in the butt. Except I also have heavy-duty legal power thru my union that would go to bat for me as being proactive by taking these meds for my "condition", etc...I think. I hope. Hope it doesn't come back to haunt me. But the feds could also come in and confiscate my computer and find all kinds of places I've visited related to this that I wish they hadn't...where are we really safe?

WARNING::::POLITICAL OPINIONS

IMO, we could not possibly have more to fear than we do now from private, for-profit health insurance. They are our ENEMY in the battle for good health care. All this Big-Brothering is not the government, but rather private agencies that exist for the purpose of insurance companies "outing" the high-risk members of the pool and dropping their coverage or denying coverage for a pre-existing condition. The US, supposedly the most prosperous nation on earth, is one of the only nations on earth that treats health care as a privilege. I wish it were a right.

HIPPA and related laws were designed to protect the sanctity of doctor-patient confidentiality. Insurance companies use their obscene profits to lobby for loopholes to those laws. For example, according to an article on privacy.org, which I linked in an earlier post on this thread, health insurance companies are treated as financial institutions for many disclosure purposes. And, obviously there is some HIPPA loophole that allows pharmacies to report more information than our own doctors keep on us (rx's and refills actually purchased) This is just sickening to me.

Perhaps I'll move to France.