Bob Haase Another Can Of Worms

Medicare Health Outcomes Survey

 

A few weeks ago I received a Medicare Health Outcomes Survey.  In the accompanying letter it stated that they would like me to complete it and mail it back but it was not mandatory and I could choose not to participate.  I chose not to complete it and I received another one and then another one.  I decided to write about it a couple weeks ago in my Another Can of Worms commentary.  

Since that time I have been getting phone calls from them asking me to complete the survey over the phone.  I told them that I did not want to participate in the survey.  She said that it was important for me to participate and I could do it over the phone now.  I asked her if it was mandatory or if I could opt out of taking it like the letters said.  She told me that it was not mandatory and that I didn’t have to take it if I did not want to.  Then she asked me if I was ready to start taking the survey.  I told her again that I did not want to take the survey and asked what I had to do to stop getting these forms and phone calls. She told me I had to take the survey or they would continue calling until I took it.

That is when I lost it.  I don’t lose my temper very easily but this is just plain harassment and we the tax payers are paying for it.  I don’t know how many of you got this same questionnaire or phone call but I consider this medical profiling.  I think we could lose benefits based on the results of the survey based on our answers.  We have medical confidentiality to the point that some hospitals will not even let you know if a friend is in their hospital so you can go see them.  You have to sign a form to allow your spouse to know anything about your health and yet you can tell someone on the phone who you don’t know all about your health.

If you get a phone call regarding this you may want to consider not answering any of their questions.  I plan on contacting my elected representatives and telling them about the harassment that I have been receiving over not completing a survey that is not mandatory.  They can’t tell me how this is being used or who will see it, but they still want me to participate and say it is confidential.  If it is confidential how do they know I haven’t participated yet?  I would also like to know how many millions of dollars this is costing us and what it is really being used for!

Bob Haase is the host of “Outdoors Thursday” heard Thursday mornings at 9:10 a.m. on News-Talk 1450 KFIZ.