Covered California Calls Collection of Patient Data a

Good Thing

With 1.4 million people enrolled, Covered California is embarking on an ambitious effort

to collect insurance company data on every patient pertaining to prescriptions, doctor visits

and hospital stays .

Covered CA claims the massive data-mining project is essential to measure quality of care patients receive.

Be that as it may, in the wake of the Anthem breach, the effort has raised questions about patient

privacy, not to mention security worries of identity theft on a grand scale.

Covered California insists the data gathering is also to hold health insurers and medical providers

accountable under the Affordable Care Act. In April, the state signed a five-year, $9.3-million contract with

Truven Health Analytics Inc. of Michigan to run the database.

While there may be the potential for much public good, Michelle De Mooy, deputy director for

consumer privacy at the Center for Democracy and Technology in Washington, believes there is a greater

public good in protecting privacy and security.

Executive director of Covered California, Peter Lee, said protecting sensitive information was a top

priority and that consumers stand to benefit from the collection of medical data. Apparently, you also have no say in the matter. Lee acknowledged that the state had no plans to let consumers opt out and keep their

records out of the database.

Many health-policy experts have applauded California’s efforts to stand tough as a major healthcare purchaser by demanding data that

insurers are often reluctant to share. The belief is that public disclosure of health plan

performance could put pressure on insurers to better serve patients, giving the state another

bargaining chip in rate negotiations.

However, others believe asking the permission of consumers is absolutely integral to the process since

the data is not the state’s to begin with.

In response to Covered California’s past stumbles over its handling of consumer

information, state lawmakers have pushed for legislation that would bar the dissemination of names, emails and phone numbers with those third parties unless the person requested help

Still, it’s now mandatory to be covered or pay the penalty for not having health insurance. You can decide to ignore it or you

can make sure you’re protected should you suffer from a sudden catastrophic illness or accident. Affordable health

insurance is available if you know where to look. Why not get a free health insurance quote today?

Do you mind sharing your data if it means you receive better health care or do you believe it’s an invasion of your privacy? Feel free to share your thoughts in the

comments section below.