Has Anyone Been to the Dr. lately? They Ask if You Have Guns

[kmag]

If you should have a medical provider ask you this question tell them they do not have the authority to ask. Tell them to look at sect. 2717 of the Affordable Care Act ( obummer care). The info is in the in the Wellness and Prevention Programs. It states that it may not require the disclosure or collection of any information relating to... the presence or storage of a lawfully-possessed firearm or ammunition in the residence, or on the property of an individual: or the lawful use, possession, or storage of a firearm or ammunition by an individual.
Most people and darn few of our elected officials have read this Act, it is well over 2,000 pages and the biggest bunch of gobblygook I have ever tried to read.

[MGySgt]

My Dr's don't have to ask, my CCW is on my hip under my shirt and they have all seen it. I did shake up one of his PA's when she was trying to put the stethoscope on my heart and she pulled up my shirt - She looked at it for about 2 seconds and said - I feel safer now!.

My GP had a laugh about it when I told him.

[DougGuy]

Well, what are they going to do with this information in the first place, and then any physician who volunteers that information to anyone without a written consent on file, is in violation of both his oath and my/your rights am I correct?

When they talk about background checks, and preventing guns from being sold to individuals who are mentally unstable or are currently or have been previously a registered patient at a mental hospital, the question in my mind, isn't there a gray area of patients who are on some pretty serious meds but not committed by themselves or a court to an institution? How do they fit into the grand scheme of restricting things?

[Jeff H]

I have not been asked that one yet but I have been asked for my driver's license at the hospital and at the GP's office within the past year. They don't want to just SEE it, they want to SCAN it!

In all cases I refused. They offered so many conflicting BS reasons that it was ridiculous. They still don't have a copy of my driver's license and won't.

This may be specific to whatever big medical provider that has absorbed the little hospital and doctor's office that is near me but I woiuld not be surprised if it spread.

[alamogunr]

Never been asked the question. I do have short conversations with my GP after he finishes with his routine exam. He is a duck hunter. I don't know if he shoots recreationally(sp?) or not but he is always interested in my reloading and casting activities.

I have an appointment next month. I may ask him if he has ever been approached to gather information about gun ownership.

[375supermag]

I went through a quite serious health issue last year to include a diagnosis of terminal cancer (since rescinded), two extremely serious surgeries, radiation treatments and a CVA and I don't recall any doctor, surgeon or therapist asking me if I owned any firearms.

I did volunteer the information when I asked my radiation oncologist if I was physically capable of withstanding the recoil of a rifle or shotgun.. he wanted to know how much and I said somewhere around 20-ft lbs and he said I should be OK.

Nothing else has been asked and/or revealed. My PCP knows that I shoot and reload, because I had to explain why I wanted my blood lead levels checked several years ago.

[khmer6]

I had to take off my g20 when the doc told me to drop my pants, does that count?

[ebner glocken]

I had to take off my g20 when the doc told me to drop my pants, does that count?

I couldn't help but laugh at that! I dropped my pants and there was a G19 in my belt. The Dr. looked down and asked "is that loaded?" I about died laughing at that moment......then it hit him what he just said. We both had a good chuckle.

Go give blood if you want some really personal questions. If they didn't have a clipboard in their hand I would swear they was comming on to me.

Ebner

[jrayborn]

I haven't been to the Doc for almost ten years. Stopped in to have something looked at and had to fill out all the paperwork again. Said "NO" to do I have firearms in the home, and got a funny look when in addition to the "normal" round of bloodwork I asked for a lead test

Doc asked why and I said indoor range. Oh well.

[gunfan]

This gets a "noneya" reply. (Noneya darned business!)

Scott

[Silver Jack Hammer]

Wonder if they asked the guy who came into the hospital yesterday with an "I'm so stupid because..." hole in his leg. He bought a new pistol at the store, ran a few errands, then had a few minutes to wait in his car and decided to check out his new pistol. One thing leg to another and -oops! They patched him up and sent him home.

[prs]

36 years in practice and I have asked the fire arms question of many thousands of patients without ever having been refused an answer. The answer is almost always "yes", although many patients confess they rarely, if ever, shoot. A significant portion of my patient population is depressed, makes no difference to me regarding the fire arms question. It is a very large part of my professional duty to help my patients preserve their hearing. Ears, balance, and hearing are my concern.

I also REQUIRE an original official government photo ID to copy for the chart, almost always the driver's license, how else can I know and prove the pt is who they claim to be rather than one defrauding the system. We do occasionally catch some one impersonating another on pre-employment exams or comp exams.

Regarding obama care or other tyrannical government demands one way or the other restricting my First Amendment rights, I choose to follow the Constitution and ask or not ask as I see best for my patient's care.

prs

[GLynn41]

wnet for refills Wednesday nothing aobut guns

[Jeff H]

36 years in practice and I have asked the fire arms question of many thousands of patients without ever having been refused an answer. The answer is almost always "yes", although many patients confess they rarely, if ever, shoot. A significant portion of my patient population is depressed, makes no difference to me regarding the fire arms question. It is a very large part of my professional duty to help my patients preserve their hearing. Ears, balance, and hearing are my concern.

I also REQUIRE an original official government photo ID to copy for the chart, almost always the driver's license, how else can I know and prove the pt is who they claim to be rather than one defrauding the system. We do occasionally catch some one impersonating another on pre-employment exams or comp exams.

Regarding obama care or other tyrannical government demands one way or the other restricting my First Amendment rights, I choose to follow the Constitution and ask or not ask as I see best for my patient's care.

prs

If my Doctor asked while discussing a problem which might be related (and I don't always make the connections), I would have no problem with it. I would assume that this is what you are talking about. I don't believe it's the Doctors one has to worry about either, as most I have seen really were concerned primarily about my health. I don't trust the companies managing the networks to not overlook certain other things which may affect me in a negative way in the name of efficiency.

From what I gather, the concern is a recent inclusion of specific questions asked of every individual on a form and the question is followed up with whether there are children in the house and whether the guns are secured, which doesn't sound like they're concerned about the patient's hearing - so the motive in that case is suspect. This sounds to me like some totally different motive than what you describe. I have been asked whether I own/use firearms as part of a discussion about my hearing and within that context I see no problem. A friend just told me he and his wife have both seen these questions on forms when they went to the Doctor's office recently. If they are asking at that point (before the patient is seen) for this information, why not ask if there are step ladders in the home or a trampoline in the back yard? Not to be smart about it, but both pose known hazards and it's commonly accepted that they are associated with accepted risks. The list of questions could be almost endless.

I appreciate your point regarding ID and agree except that I do not think that it should be kept as a permanent electronic record, especially if no one really knows why they are doing it. The case I mentioned never revealed a single answer even closely resembling something as valid as what you mentioned - all the way up to the individual who supposedly wrote the policy. One of the excuses was that, as a patient, who was assumed to eventually pay for the services, became a creditor to the hospital or practice and that the government required this record be kept in the manner for that reason. I at first expected that it was to make sure the right patient got the right treatment but that was never mentioned. Still, showing ID and someone having a copy permanently on file is different. The loss of control of personal information can be devastating to the individual but the consequences to whoever lost control of it are effectively nothing in comparison - if one could prove which of the many demanding this information was the one who lost it.

It sounds like you are very conscientious and I don't doubt you have no nefarious motives regarding the use of others' personal information yourself but the same cannot be assumed of everyone. I'm glad you chimed in too because you see apsects of this that most of the rest of us cannot.

[Bzcraig]

If this to happen to me and being a disabled vet I go to the VA hospital who often ask question that seem odd, with all due respect I would tell them it is none of their business

[RP]

Maybe they are asking in case you don't pay your bill and they have to come looking for the money and don't want to get shot.

[dudits]

Maybe they are asking in case you don't pay your bill and they have to come looking for the money and don't want to get shot.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA thanks RP i really needed that

sounds like yall have better docs where yall are at. docs here are horrible i could go off on a very ling tangent about wheaton franciscon but that would be off subject.

i went to the ER 2 tears ago and was told i had to hobble back out to car and disarm,"ankle was dislocated and foot was pretty much sideways" i really thougt i was going to get arrested.
i just woke my fiance up to ask her this question. she said she was asked about guns when she went for her last physical/checkup. she replied "i have a concealed carry permit and i carry a pink semi auto" they asked no further questions about the subject.

[cbrick]

None of the doctors that I have seen this year (3) has asked me about firearms. I'm feelin' kinda' left out! If they ever do, then I will simply say NO, with no discussion or amplification. It's not any of their business.

Judging by the Texans I've known there is no need or reason for any doctor in Texas to ask about firearms, they just automatically fill the question with . . . Numerous!

Rick

[Bulltipper]

Jeff H said it for me exactly word for word...

[dakota]

My doctor's two favorite things to do is shooting prairie dogs and hunting pheasants. May I suggest stop supporting left wing pinkos, no matter if they are doctors, lawyers, or hollywood stars. By the way remember Hanoi Jane when you might be thinking that 'Regan' would be a good movie to watch.